Naruto and the Alchemist
by ultima s
Summary: After the Ninja War wanes in peoples hearts Naruto finds himself attacked by a mysterious enemy who is reported to be even more powerful than the ten-tails. A battle starts but is quickly joined by another mysterious guest. Soon Naruto finds himself on a whole new adventure with Sasuke and Sakura at his side.
1. Chapter 1

From within the darkness a light shines down, just a beam barely able to penetrate to the floor but still providing a small shadow on the still water. A face barely recognizable in the darkness surrounded by an orange glow of Chakra. His eyes open and reveal a hollow blue stare that turns to the light now filtering in, in a greater abundance.

"The ten tales is dead!" His sinister voice echoes through the cave as his fangs glisten in the dim light, "That's too bad such a pet is a hard one to lose!" he says to himself closing his eyes.

A small wind whistles through the opening sharing the entrance with the light.

"Hmmm! You say defeated by the nine-tails brat? How interesting." The room fills with this orange chakra and a hole forms in front of the man leading out onto a mountain. In the distance one could see the rock faces on the mountain as Konha spanned the horizon.

The wind twirled around the man as he exited, "We'll just have to find this… Naruto, before he becomes a threat to us!" The man laughed and jumped down off the rock face to the valley below.

"C'mon Sasuke you haven't even been back a week and you still haven't challenged me I want to try out my new techniques!" Came the excitable voice of a blond haired individual with an orange traveling suit and a metallic headband with a symbol for the Shinobi Alliance.

"Why would I want to? You may have taken down Madara and the ten tails but you're still just a loser!" A man with raven hair and a black travelling cloak with a fan emblazoned on the back responded.

"Are you two back at it so soon. We just got team seven back together!" Came a pink haired young woman traveling behind the two as the blond haired young man looked at the raven haired boy with flames in his eyes.

"Sasuke!" He said through gritted teeth and clenched fists.

"C'mon Naruto we were sent to the Village hidden in the mists to help solidify the Alliance there not start a war between ourselves!" The Pink haired woman said looking angrily at the blond haired boy.

"You're always on his side aren't you Sakura?" Naruto said turning his icy stare towards the pink haired girl and then back to Sasuke, "Don't think you've gotten out of fighting me as soon as we arrive at the Hidden Mist Village I'll fight you in front of everyone!"

"Why should you have to wait for a fight." A voice was carried on the wind that surrounded the group.

They turned every direction looking for where the sound was coming from and soon a figure formed from the shadows.

"And who are you?" Naruto said turning his fists towards the newcomer

He was tall and thin with a large belt around his waist and a one piece uniform that opened at the top and was completely crimson red. He had what looked like flames tattooed on his body and he glowed with a powerful emanating orange chakra. His hair was like looking into a flaming furnace and his face was hard and chiseled as though he'd been hewn from a mountain.

"To the victor over the ten-tails I am just a humble servant of the universe!" The man said in a sinister voice

"What do you want?" Sasuke demanded impatiently reaching for his katana

"Ah the whelp of the Uchiha! I haven't come for you, you die from my brothers but Naruto…" The man said pulling out a flaming katana of his own, "Naruto dies by my hand!"

Naruto took a step back and within the second Sasuke's eyes had turned to the Eternal Mongekyo Sharingan and Susanoo was fully formed in front of him.

"If you want Naruto you'll have to pass through me!" Sasuke responded confidently behind his projection.

The man looked thoroughly unimpressed. He shook his head, "Simple projections of Chakra I would have expected more from such a legendary Uchiha." With this the man swiped his flaming Katana upwards and cut clean through the Susanoo. Causing it to dissipate and Sasuke to hold his eyes.

"Stay back Naruto!" Sakura yelled and placed herself in front of him her diamond symbol appearing in the center of her forehead and a blue chakra flowing into her hands.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked shocked at the fact that Sasuke's Susanoo was destroyed so easily

"I thought I made myself clear on that regard, I want you not to be alive anymore!" The man said with a smile and rushed forward.

Sakura slammed her fist into the ground which caused a large chunk of earth to rise up in front of them. The man simply cut through the boulder as though it had been a sheet of paper. He then ran towards Sakura as she prepared herself to attack. Suddenly in front of her was a set of golden flames that had taken the form of a man.

"Naruto!?"

Naruto had taken his Kyuubi form and stood between Sakura and Sasuke in front of the man who stopped in his tracks.

"I can feel it! Such power!" The man said donning a ravenous look on his face, "I must have it!" He yelled and ran towards Naruto with his sword in the ready.

Naruto put his hands into a formation and yelled, "Multi-shadow clone jutsu!" and soon the field stood burning brightly with a hundred versions of Naruto each with their power of the Kyuubi.

Within Naruto the nine-tails fox spoke, "Naruto this is one of the four alchemists his power is far beyond that of even the Ten-tails!"

"More powerful is that even possible?!" Naruto asked turning all of his attention on the man.

The man stopped movement for a little bit and put two fingers in front of his chin, "… There!" He said and jumped straight towards the real Naruto.

Soon he was inundated with hundreds of Narutos that stopped his motion, "Such power!" He said and his Chakra glowed even brighter causing some of the clones to dissipate as Sakura finished healing Sasuke.

"Who is this guy?!" Sasuke said getting up off the ground and preparing his Katana

He ran forward and his Katana shined with the power of his Chidori and met this man's Katana where it stalemated.

"What do you want with us?" Sasuke yelled

"You know I get tired of answering the same question so many times!" The man yelled and pushed his katana forward causing Sasuke to land on his back a ways away.

Many of Naruto's clones were falling as the magnificent swordplay of the man was unleashed in a flurry of glowing lines that littered the landscape. Soon only a few remained and Naruto was standing next to Sakura who was looking in shock at the power of the man.

Suddenly a bright flash of light penetrated the man from behind and Naruto turned to see Sasuke behind the man with a large Chidori blade.

"Never turn your back on your enemies!" Sasuke said as the man looked at his wound.

Suddenly the man started to laugh which made everyone look in bewilderment.

"What's so funny!?" Naruto yelled putting a fist up in front of himself

The man's chakra focused on the blade and soon the white and blue blade started to turn orange and black as it trailed back towards Sasuke who was forced release the jutsu.

"Weak!" The man said with disgust as his wound healed itself with chakra, "I have indulged you fools for long enough! It is now time to take my prize!" He laughed and walked slowly towards Naruto.

"STOP!" Came a voice from the river to the side of the group and everyone turned towards the voice.

From the water a vortex formed and pulled itself out onto the land. In front of Naruto a tall man with blue skin and deep blue hair cut straight on the top but long on the sides stood between himself and the man with the orange chakra. This man was surrounded in blue Chakra and Naruto could see the large katana similar to the other's holstered on his back.

"Stay out of this Yagami!" The man in red yelled

"No Ishida! You cannot have this power it is not for you!" The blue man said drawing his katana which seemed to be surrounded with water

They clashed together and a shockwave sent Sakura flying backwards where Sasuke had just enough speed to catch her.

"Ishida you know you cannot win!" Yagami yelled

"I WILL HAVE THAT POWER!" Ishida yelled and his chakra focused into a beam that seemed to sear through the blue skin of Yagami.

Yagami fell to the ground clasping his shoulder.

"C'mon Naruto let's go!" Sasuke yelled setting Sakura on her feet.

"I'm not going to just leave him here!" Naruto yelled back.

Suddenly a small boy with bleach white hair and white eyes appeared in front of them he made a few hand signs and everything went white.

When Naruto and the others woke up they were standing in front of the entrance to the Hidden Mist Village as though nothing had happened.

Hello everyone it's me Ultima S. again just deciding to try my hand at a Naruto Fanfiction. I certainly hope that everyone likes it as this is an attempt to not do a crossover between this and the Legend of Zelda. Other than that please read and enjoy! Ultima S. Next The Alchemists! (minor spelling and grammar corrections)


	2. Chapter 2

"What happened?" Naruto said looking around wildly trying to see something through the thick mists that bordered the Hidden Mist village.

Sasuke and Sakura got up from the ground where they'd been dropped and started to look around.

"I don't know," Sasuke started, "But that guy was far too powerful to be human."

"Do you think is was a demon?" Sakura said as her limited sensory capabilities checked the surroundings, "But then how did we get here?"

"A better question is _where_ is here?" Naruto interjected

"You are at the entrance to the village hidden in the mists." Came a voice from the fog

They all looked around themselves again and from the thick fog all they could see was the swirling mists.

"WHO ARE YOU!" Naruto yelled out into the air

"No need to shout! I'm right next to you." The voice said as the trio looked wildly to each side

"Where are you?!" Sasuke shouted angrily as he built up his lightning chakra in his palm

"Please there is no need to fight I'm up here!" The voice said and the three looked up to see a small child with white hair and completely white eyes descend from the sky as though he was walking on air.

"Whoa!" Naruto said stunned as the boy touched the ground.

Sasuke released his Jutsu and everyone just looked at the small boy. He had an androgynous appearance with a white shirt and green pants. On his back was another katana like the other two had but his body was emanating with a white chakra that he seemed to call back into himself.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked kindly though hesitantly

"My name is Aiko!" the boy said and bowed

"Who were the other two?!" Sasuke asked roughly

"Ishida and Yagami they are my brothers." The boy responded turning to Sasuke

"Why did they want me dead?" Naruto asked getting excited and putting a fist in front of him

"_They_ didn't, Ishida did!" The boy responded, "Ishida wants the power of the one who defeated the ten-tails. He believes this will make him stronger than his brothers so he can finally consume the world in fire."

Everyone looked shocked, "What do you mean consume the world in fire?" Sakura asked

"To understand the dilemma you must first understand the origin." The boy stated and built up a little chakra that he used to control the wind currents and cause the mist to form into a story board as the vaporous characters played their roles.

"Long ago when the sage of six-paths first started the way of the ninja there were wars and fierce battles fought with elements and not ninjutsu." The boy said as an army of mist warriors attacked with what seemed like water and another attacking with earth.

"These battles ripped the landscape changing mountains to valleys and valleys to mountains as the power of the elements reigned supreme." The mist formed into crumbling villages and vast plains

"Those that were not adept were taken by their enemies and used as slaves to build their fortresses and armies and those that were adept were killed. Having said this every element was evenly matched none prevailing over the other so the battles would last for weeks and the war itself lasted over a thousand years." The elements in the mist collided and created an explosion.

"From the fighting emerged four champions of each realm tempered in battle and each having power that surpassed the entirety of their nation. These men were called the alchemists and each had unique control over their element. Ishida of the fire, Yagami of the water, Katashi of the earth and myself of the wind." The mist formed into four figures three of which were recognized immediately by the trio and the fourth looked like a large thick man with armor and a beard tied at the base of the chin.

"These four stopped the fighting in their own lands and met on terms for peace around the same time that the sage of six-paths found a way to control chakra to a fine degree and started the ninja way. We all met at the summit where, long before, the fighting had started for reason's no one remembered. We signed a treaty saying that the way of the elements would no longer be taught to the children of our respective people it was at this time that the the Sage of Six-Paths finally conquered the Ten-tails for the first time and attained peace to his land by becoming the Jinchuriki." The mist showed the sage and the Ten-tails being absorbed into his stomach in a vortex-like fashon.

"At this he became one of the most powerful men alive and joined us as an elemental father of chakra. Ishida, however, was not content with his place as one of five elementals or alchemists he wanted to be above us all, the flame of battle stirred within him again as he secretly went and excited his people against us. We could not allow such a being to upset the balance so we banished him into a stone corpse of the demon Detashi. He has been storing his energy for many years now seems to have broken the seal on his prison. In his quest he seeks the power that defeated the ten-tails for a second time hoping that this will give him the advantage he seeks to overwhelm us and become our ruler." The mists dissipated and the group stood there looking on in silence.

"Wait a sec'! If he was sealed inside a demon how did he find out that I was the one that defeated the ten-tails?" Naruto asked standing up

"Some treacherous wind currents have been feeding him information." Aiko said with disgust

"But aren't you the Alchemist who controls the wind?" Sakura asked

"I don't control it." Aiko said shaking his head, "I merely manage it. It is just the same with my brothers they will manage their elements but in the end some of their own stewardships will fight against them."

"So why did you help us?" Sasuke asked

"I cannot allow Ishida to gain control over us he must be prevented from knowing where to find you if we are to succeed so I have decided to join you!" Aiko said simply

"Sorry but we aren't babysitters." Sasuke said waving a hand in Aiko's direction.

"DO I LOOK LIKE A BABY TO YOU!?" Aiko yelled towering above Sasuke who let a sweat bead drop down his neck.

"That's some temper you got there!" Naruto said under his breath with a worried expression

Aiko calmed himself, "I am more than capable of handling myself." He said brushing himself off.

"Fine but the first time we need to save your neck you're gone!" Sasuke said in an even tone.

"Agreed!" Aiko said

"Now we just need to find how to get out of this fog!" Sakura said looking around

Aiko walked in a direction and made some hand signs that Naruto didn't recognize, "Elemental technique Wind Rush!" He yelled and a blast of wind cut through the fog to reveal a small bridge with the symbol of the hidden mist village on the signpost.

"This way!" Aiko said and they walked through the mist tunnel towards the bridge.

Thanks for reading today's chapter I know it seems like they are short but that is because I want people to be able to read my stories on a short time budget so each chapter will advance the story line ahead a certain degree before cutting off to the next chapter making it easier to read in general I believe, Ultima S. Special thanks to Mitsuki Uchiha Namikaze for being the first to fav the story. Next The Hidden Mist Village.


	3. Chapter 3

The newly formed group walked through the penetrating mist through the wind tunnel created by Aiko who walked in front of them off the ground slightly.

"So Aiko I noticed that your eyes are white just like the Hyuga clan's. Are you related to them in some way?" Sakura asked trying to make polite conversation.

"We have a similar lineage." Aiko responded, "My grandfather was the first to have the ability to see with the Byakugan and he passed the traits on to his descendants. I have no children and my uncles formed the Hyuga clan named after my Grandfather." The boy said looking up as though in thought.

"I don't care about that!" Naruto said making everyone turn to look at him, "I want to know how it is that you can actually walk on air? Is it some kind of levitation jutsu, or some elemental wind chakra? I don't care what it is you've gotta teach me!" Naruto said pleading and causing Sasuke to shake his head as Sakura left a lump on Naruto's skull with her fist.

"Oh you mean this?" Aiko said and ran around in the air as though he was walking on solid ground.

"No, no. OF COURSE I MEAN THAT!" Naruto yelled

"Actually the Sage of six-paths taught it to me. Pretty cool huh?" Aiko said as though he enjoyed teasing Naruto about his ability.

"Those two." Sasuke said looking at Naruto try to grab Aiko by the legs and pull him down

Sakura just smiled nervously as they crossed over the bridge into the Hidden Mist Village. The mountains in the background surrounded the village on all sides and the thick mists made the village nearly impossible to find unless one knew where they were looking. The building of the Mizukage stood tall in the center of the many earthen buildings that surrounded them.

Many of the people in the area recognized Naruto and the group right away and immediately offered them food and clothing as though they were a city of servants to the Nine-tails Jinchuriki. They denied everything they could and soon Mei herself needed to leave the abode of the Mizukage and clear the streets.

Ao walked over to the small group, "And what brings the lotus of the Leaf out to these parts?"

"Lotus?... Lotus eaters… Blissful arrogance… like the blissful arrogance of… Marriage!" Mei thought to herself and everyone looked on in shock as Ao received a powerful slam to the back of the head which sent him face forward to the ground.

"What did I do?" Ao cried from the ground

"Nevermind!" Mei responded and turned to the group who was looking on through rounded white eyes, "Ao is right what brings the three most important citizens of Konoha to the Village hidden in the Mists?"

"Actually, lady Mizukage, we were here to see if there was anything we could do to strengthen this village and hopefully solidify this village in the Shinobi Alliance." Sakura said with a bow

"Well as you can see we didn't receive any direct attacks so we remain fairly well spoken for." The Mizukage said turning around, "As for the Shinobi Alliance, it would be stupid of any village to question the will of the soon to be hokage." She said inclining towards Naruto.

"The jury's still out on that one!" Naruto said with false modesty as he put his arm down his back, "After all it has still only been a week since the Ten-tails and…" Naruto was stopped by Sakura who elbowed him in the arm.

"We don't mean it like that!" Sakura said quickly

"We don't want your loyalty from fear!" Sasuke said standing to the side of Naruto who was rubbing his arm, "Do you want to be part of the alliance or not?"

Naruto and Sakura looked at Sasuke for a second then looked towards Mei who had turned slightly to the side and hung her head.

"Though we don't really need the Shinobi Alliance,…" She stated and the three looked intently at her, "I guess the Shinobi Alliance needs us. You can rely on the Village hidden in the Mist!" She said with a smile and a wink. "You know Sasuke I'm glad I didn't have to kill you after all!" She said with a smile and turned towards the Mizukage's dwelling at the center of the village.

Sakura continued to bow until Mei was out of sight and then stood straight up and hit Naruto hard on the head, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE TRYING TO DO…" she yelled as Naruto desperately tried to protect himself from the anger of Sakura.

"Do they fight like this all the time?" Aiko asked Sasuke

"When it comes to Naruto there are few people who don't!" Sasuke responded walking back towards the outside of the village.

Eventually Naruto and Sakura caught up as they re-entered the impenetrable layer of fog surrounding the village.

"Hey Aiko would you mind?" Sasuke asked inclining his head towards the fog.

Aiko walked up to the front of the group and did a different series of hand signs and said, "Elemental Technique Updraft!" Soon the whole group was lifted off the ground in a powerful wind current that flung them high in the air and then caught them in a separate current that carried them quickly through the air in a cyclonic fashion and deposited them on one of the mountain tops that overlooked the Hidden Mist Village.

"I knew it!" Naruto said excitedly, "It is a wind technique that allows you to walk on air!" he said towards Aiko

"And I told you that's not it! Anyone can walk on air they just need a good amount of chakra control!" Aiko said shrugging his shoulders.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked getting drawn in by curiosity herself and though Sasuke didn't want to admit it he stood to the side listening intently.

Aiko looked towards the two that now blocked his view and sighed letting his hands hang down in front of him. "Fine!" he said and he walked towards a small rock cliff with a wading pool at the base followed closely by the trio.

"First show me that you know how to climb a vertical surface." Aiko said inclining towards the large rock precipice.

"Please I could do this in my sleep!" Naruto said excitedly and climbed the rock face without hands.

He was followed by Sakura and Sasuke who treated it like he was doing it just for the exercise.

"Good! As you know climbing a solid surface relies on focusing your chakra into the soles of your feet allowing you to latch on to the object without needing hands." Aiko said putting his finger to the side and one arm behind his back.

"Yeah, Yeah we know already now get to the part where we can walk on air!" Naruto called from the top jumping down to the rocks below and landing gracefully on the bottom. Once again Sakura and Sasuke followed closely behind.

"Now I need you to show me that you know how to walk on water!" Aiko said pointing to the small pool at the base of the mountain.

The three ninja walked out onto the calm surface of the water and adequately stayed afloat above the surface.

Aiko made some hand signs, "Elemental Technique Wind Rush!" He said quickly and the surface became choppy and large and small waves threw the three off balance flinging them into the water.

"Hey what'd ya do that for!?" Naruto yelled to Aiko who was standing in the air laughing.

"You need to be able to stay on top of the water or you can't ever hope to master walking in air." Aiko responded still laughing

"You just caught me off guard that's all, I'll do it next time!" Naruto said pulling himself to the top of the water.

The water calmed and once again Aiko threw a gust of wind at the surface. The three were able to maintain their balance better but still wound up falling into the icy waters. This continued for a time and soon the sun sank below the horizon and everyone except Aiko was freezing from the frigid waters.

Sasuke used his Fireball Jutsu to create a flame and everyone surrounded it trying to warm themselves as the moon rose into view. Naruto sat there sneezing with a large drip hanging from his nose that Sakura was avoiding looking at as she shivered herself.

"I think that should be enough of that!" Aiko said, "I'm sure you three won't want to have anything to do with walking on air now!" He said putting his arms behind his back

"Please!" Naruto said jumping to his feet, "I'm just getting warmed up! I'll go at this forever if it means I can learn that Jutsu!"

"The sad part is he really means that." Sakura said looking into the fire

"Of course I do! I'm gonna learn that awesome Jutsu if it's the last thing I do!" Naruto yelled and then sneezed and huddled closer to the fire.

Aiko looked at him and shook his head, "Poor fool!" He thought to himself as he watched the moon start its trek across the sky.

…..

A dark dungeon penetrated only by a few lit lamps. A man with an orange chakra walking the halls down into a darkened room where only a small light shone through a hole in the ceiling.

"I told you to stay out of it Yagami!" The man said to a prisoner hanging from his wrists in shackles surrounded by a blue chakra. To the side a bench with a katana surrounded with a thin film of water.

"That power is not yours Ishida!" The man in blue stated weakly.

"Not yet anyway,…"

Thanks for reading folks it's been a long day and I always manage to de-stressify when I can come home and write a chapter. Remember keep reading and supporting it is forever appreciated! Ultima S. Next Naruto's Walking on Air… Somewhat!


	4. Chapter 4

(minor Readability update)

The sun rose beyond the quiet mountains to find Naruto standing on the surface of the wading pool meditating. Every once and a while a gentle wind would agitate the surface but Naruto didn't notice as he was deep in thought. _I wonder if walking on air is as hard to learn as the rasengan?_ He thought to himself thinking back on the months it took for him to master the high level Jutsu. He had had to work his way up from swirling chakra to manipulating the swirl to containing it and even at that point he needed assistance.

_Even the rasenshuriken wasn't that long…!_ Naruto suddenly thought of something he'd completely forgotten. He put his fingers into a cross and said "Multi-shadow clone jutsu!" And soon the lake was covered with hundreds of Narutos.

"Hey Aiko!" They all shouted at once and the white haired boy looked up from the rock he was resting on to see a multitude of Narutos, "We're ready to start training!" They yelled in unison

"Did he even get _any_ sleep?" Aiko asked as Sasuke and Sakura were awakened by the noise.

"Knowing Naruto, probably not." Sasuke said aggravated

"Fine let's get this over with!" Aiko said and went over to the lake

"Elemental Technique Wind Rush!" Aiko said at the edge of the lake and the waters became choppy

All but three were thrown into the depths these three quickly disappeared and all of the others got a look of inspiration on their faces, "OK!" Naruto yelled

The three were quickly replaced and everyone once again stood on the surface of the water. Aiko sent another gust which churned the water rapidly and this time five clones managed to stay on top of the churning water. Sasuke and Sakura watched the progression and by the time noon came around the waters could be coming up in all directions but every single shadow clone stayed on top without sinking.

Aiko looked impressed, "You mastered that technique a lot faster than I did." Aiko said remembering back to when the Sage of Six-Paths was teaching him the technique.

**(Flashback**** to Aiko and the Sage of Six-Paths)**

"Remember Aiko you need to anticipate the changes before they reach you." Came the voice of the Sage of Six-Paths as Aiko stood in the center of a lake that was calm on all sides.

The Sage tapped the water with his staff and the lake churned in a tumult and Aiko sank to the depths before being brought up to the surface again by the sage.

"I'm never gonna get this!" Aiko yelled all wet, "The only reason you can do it is because you have all that chakra!"

The sage smiled and shook his head, "You're upset because you haven't learned adequate chakra control."

"That seems to be the only way to walk on air! I'm the wind Alchemist! I should be able to walk in my own element!" Aiko said sadly

"Look at this!" The Sage said and took out a feather and a rock, "To you I am like this rock, I have form and power solid in my control and you are like this feather. You can easily be swayed and carried in the winds having little control and a form that can bend and break easily is that so?"

Aiko nodded.

"Well tell me if I dropped these two which one would reach the ground first?" the Sage asked

"The rock, of course!" Aiko said agitated

"Hmm, well let's see?" the Sage said and made a few hand signs, "Wind release Vacuum style Jutsu!"

In front of Aiko a cylinder appeared out of air that was swirling rapidly the inside contained no air as it was drawn to the outer rings of the jutsu but it was still visible enough to see what was going on inside. The sage put the rock and the feather on the top of the cylinder and let them drop through. To Aiko's surprise the feather and the rock exited the bottom at the same time.

"You see Aiko," The Sage continued, "when we can remove everything that acts on us and that we act upon, in the end we are the same each of us reaching the same goal. To some of us like this rock it is easier for us to act upon our surroundings leading us to become solid and firm in our abilities while others like this feather just need to block out the things that are acting upon them. In the end they both can accomplish the same ends. As your chakra control becomes greater you too will be able to do anything that I can and maybe more since the elemental Adepts have the ability to control the essences of the elements where as I can but influence them."

"We more or less manage them." Aiko responded and the Sage smiled and laughed.

**(End of Flashback)**

"It was a technique that Kakashi sensei taught me using shadow clones to complete hours of training in a few minutes!" Naruto said smiling.

"Show off!" Sakura said with a huff, "If he didn't have those shadow clones he'd still be soaking wet!"

"Well that was just the first part!" Aiko yelled out to Naruto who had released his jutsu, "Walking on calm water allows you to know how to evenly distribute chakra over a constantly changing surface, while walking on choppy waters allows you to quickly alter your chakra flow to meet the needs of the oncoming waves. This part is essential to being able to walk on air as the currents and gusts will change constantly a lot more often and more radically than water!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bladdy blah blah! Show me how to walk on Air!" Naruto yelled back

"There is one other thing you need to learn!" Aiko said with a smile and created a few new hand signs, "Hidden Elemental Technique Cyclonic Winds!"

There was a gust of wind that came down around Naruto and circled the lake causing the water to spin faster and faster. Until where Naruto was standing turned into a vortex sucking him to the bottom of the lake. Sakura and Sasuke looked on in shock as Naruto lost control and sunk into the icy depths.

"Release the jutsu!" Sakura yelled

"It's not jutsu!" Aiko yelled back, "It's a hidden elemental technique and can't be stopped till it's run its course!"

"Why would you unleash that on Naruto!?" Sasuke yelled grabbing the young Aiko by the shirt

"He wants to learn how to walk on air this is the only way!" Aiko responded brushing off Sasuke's grip

They looked at the vortex and from the center a bright light formed and soon Naruto in his Kyuubi Chakra form jumped up from the depths.

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled happily

"If you want to learn you can't use the Kyuubi's chakra!" Aiko yelled

"Oh man!" Naruto said to himself and turned to Kurama inside himself, "You heard him Kurama you need to let me do this on my own."

"I am a part of you Naruto there is no reason why you should do this alone!" Kurama stated looking down at Naruto.

"I know but I can't always rely on your chakra to do what I consider to be hard I need to be able to stand on my own feet if I'm to become the next Hokage!"

Kurama nodded and withdrew his chakra which caused Naruto to fall to the ground like a rock. He landed at the base of the whirlpool with water swirling on every side. He put his foot up to the side of the wall of water but the currents were moving so fast and changing so rapidly his foot sunk in he was carried around by the whirlpool before being dropped back into the center.

"There's gotta be a way to slow this thing down or at least change its direction so it could be useful to me!" Naruto said looking at the swirling vortex.

"Try to imagine the what's going on inside the balloon!" Came the echoing voice of Master Jiraya

He was holding an ornate balloon that was slowly moving around.

"You first need to learn how to concentrate your chakra on a single point and the water spins based on your natural chakra flow."

_At first I could only get the water in the balloon to swirl but then I needed to get it to pop!_

"I saw when you did it the balloon got all lumpy so I realized there needed to be a lot of currents going in all different directions…" Naruto said to Jiraya

"Now you need to do the same thing with this rubber ball!" Jiraya said throwing Naruto a small rubber ball.

_Then I needed to work on the amount of power that I added into the swirling currents to get the rubber ball to pop!_ Suddenly Naruto had a realization.

"That's It!" He said out loud and walked over to the wall of water. He put his foot up to the wall and release a powerful yet small burst of chakra that interrupted the flow of the whirlpool at that spot for just an instant and then he was able to latch on. He had to move quickly and every time he put his foot down he would release another small counter-current of chakra that would allow him to get a foothold for a moment and continue upwards.

At the top Sakura and Sasuke watched the outer ring of the whirlpool for any sign of Naruto.

"He's been down too long I'm going in after him!" Sakura said confidently and started to head towards the outer ring of the whirlpool.

"Sakura wait!" Sasuke yelled, "Look!"

Sakura looked towards the water and could see Naruto goose-stepping his way out of the whirlpool.

"He did it!" she yelled

"He's a lot more scrappy than I'd thought!" Aiko said and waved his hand which caused the wind to stop.

Sakura turned to Aiko towering above him, "I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU COULDN'T RELEASE A HIDDEN ELEMENTAL TECHNIQUE!"

Aiko shrugged, "Hmm I guess I was wrong."

At this Sakura let her fist down hard on Aiko's head causing a bump to form. Aiko held his head as tears streamed down his face, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Soon Naruto ran over to the group with a smile. He put his hand up in a thumbs up and winked at Aiko, "It looks like even years later the Pervy Sage's teachings still have a place!"

"Pervy sage?" Aiko said confused

"Don't ask!" Sakura said looking angrily to the side

"So when can I walk on air, huh when, huh, huh?!" Naruto said jumping around excitedly

"Actually you should be able to walk on air mostly right now!" Aiko said

"Huh!" The three looked at him in surprise

"Walking on air is very similar to walking out of a vortex you need to focus your chakra and release it in controlled bursts out of the bottom of your feet. You also need to be able to anticipate changes in the wind and adjust the amount of chakra that you expel from your feet accordingly just like walking on choppy waters." Aiko explained

"Ohhhh! So that's how it's done!" Naruto said putting a finger to the side of his face and looking up.

"Give it a try!" Aiko instructed.

"Ok! Here goes." Naruto said and lifted his foot off the ground. Suddenly he flew high into the sky and landed on his face on the ground.

"I think you may have released a little too much chakra!" Aiko responded looking at the downed Naruto

"This is gonna take some finesse!" Naruto said from the ground

Thanks for reading today's chapter I hope that people are reading and enjoying seeing as it is nearly impossible to find the story from the original Naruto search page. Ultima S. Next, Problems at the Leaf!


	5. Chapter 5

The three walked through the forest as the sun shone brightly down through the trees making a dance of shadows on the trail before them. Every once and a while Naruto would fly past the group and land face first in a tree or rock or some other hard surface.

"I don't think Naruto understands the finer points of chakra control." Aiko said as Naruto flew past them again

"I don't think Naruto understands much about anything!" Sakura said as she put her arm out and caught Naruto by the neck as he flew past them again

"Thanks Sakura." He said dizzily before flopping to the ground, "Walking on air is harder than I thought."

"Maybe if you would think a little more you wouldn't be having so much trouble." Sakura said agrily

"Enough you two!" Sasuke said calmly walking ahead of them, "We need to report back to the village soon or they are going to start wondering about us again. We should also let Kakashi sensei know about what went on with the Alchemist."

"Something tells me he already knows!" Aiko said pointing towards a rising dust cloud in the distance

"That looks like it's coming from the leaf!" Sakura said and started running.

The three made it to the entrance of the city and saw several tiers of houses up in flames and people were running every way possible.

Sasuke grabbed one of the Hidden Leaf Guards, "What's going on!"

"A man with a terrible chakra came out of nowhere and is attacking the city!"

"Do you think it's Ishida?" Sakura turned to Aiko

"It doesn't matter who it is!" Naruto said as his body started to glow in golden flames, "When someone tries to destroy my village, I'll destroy them!"

They ran to the center of the village where a dust cloud engulfed the surrounding buildings and Naruto could sense the presence of a huge and terrifying power through Kurama's chakra.

"2 Palms, 4 Palms, 8 Palms, 16 Palms, 32 Palms, 64 Palms!" Came a familiar voice and Aiko used some wind to clear the area.

"Neji What's going on!?" Naruto yelled out to the white eyed Hyuga.

Neji wasn't paying attention as Hinata was supporting him from the other side of a man who was standing in the center. This man made a few strange hand signs and called out, "Hidden Elemental Technique Mountain Range!" and slammed his fist into the ground. From that point where he slammed his fist to either side there was a huge tremor and the earth started to crack and raise.

"You'll pay for what you did to my Brother!" The man yelled as the newly forming rock precipice started to get larger and larger.

"It's Katashi!" Aiko said, "I've never seen him this mad before!"

"Well if he thinks that's an excuse for attacking a whole village he's got another thing coming!" Naruto yelled and moved at lightspeed up the side of the forming mountain and delivered a crushing kick to the face of Katashi.

Katashi flew up in the air where Naruto caught him by the wrist and whirled him around flinging him twice as fast to the earth where he landed making a crater. Naruto came down just on the peak of the new mountain that was about as tall as the Hokage's building.

From the smoke below a swirl formed and soon a large rounded man with a beard tied at the base of the chin flew up towards Naruto, "You're the one!" He said and slammed his fist into Naruto's crossed arms.

Naruto slid back a few hundred feet and rubbed his arms from the pain. _This guys strong!_ He said to himself and gathered up a swirling ball of chakra.

"I'm giving you one chance to leave this village alone, or you'll have to answer to me personally!" Naruto said as the Rasengan glowed darkly in the form of a tailed beast ball.

The man laughed, "You take my brother and hide him in this village and expect me to back down!? You are even more insane than what Ishida told me!" and then he rushed forward

Naruto through the tailed beast ball which headed straight for Katashi and Katashi continued forward with his fist glowing brightly with a brownish chakra. Just as they were about to strike together an immensely powerful wind flung them both up into the air where the ball exploded cloaking the sky with fire and Katashi fell to the ground landing on his back.

"Huh!?" Katashi said looking around

"Brother Katashi!" Aiko said happily hugging the man

"Brother Aiko!" Katashi said returning the embrace, "Why did you stop me? Don't you know that this man has Yagami!?"

"Brother Katashi, you should know better. Ishida is a liar these people have been with me this whole time!" Aiko said

"Well I know Ishida but… he gave me this as proof." Katashi said pulling out a katana that had a thin layer of water surrounding the edge.

Aiko looked at the katana in shock, "Brother do you know what this means?" Aiko asked

"Well I thought it meant that these people took Yagami! But now I'm not so sure."

"This means that Ishida took Yagami prisoner!" Aiko said holding the blade

"WHAT! THAT ISHIDA I SHOULD NEVER HAVE TRUSTED HIM! WHY WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON HIM I'LL…." And Katashi continued for a while saying exactly what he'd do to Ishida as a bead of sweat dropped down Naruto's neck.

Soon Sakura and Sasuke joined them at the top of the new peak in downtown Konoha.

"So let me guess, this was just a misunderstanding!" Sakura said

"Uh-huh!" Naruto responded, "Hey mister now that you know it wasn't us that took your brother do ya mind moving this mountain _outside_ of the village!" Naruto yelled

The man looked up and then looked at the mountain, "Oh yeah! Sorry bout that." He said rubbing his neck as a bead of sweat dropped down his back. He made a few hand signs, "Hidden Elemental Technique Crumbling boulders!" He shouted and pounded his fist onto the ground turning the mountain into a pile of dust that Aiko used his wind rush to clear out of Konoha.

"Now who's going to help me fix this place up?!" Naruto asked annoyed and holding his head at the sight of the destroyed business district.

"Oh right! I'll take care of that!" Katashi said standing at the center of the destruction, he sat and crossed his legs as his brown chakra branched out to each piece of destroyed building.

"What's he doing?" Sakura asked

"He needs to know where every piece went in order to fix it." Aiko said in a whisper.

Katashi put his hands out in front of him and made a few seals before placing them on either side of himself, "Elemental Technique Concrete House of Four Pillars!" He said and all of the stones and wood put themselves back together. The wood became hard as rocks but keeping their wood-like appearance while the stones just piled themselves together back where they were.

Soon the village was put back together as Neji ran up to Naruto.

"Naruto this man is a danger to the Hidden Leaf and must be dealt with as soon as possible!" Neji said in anger

"Whoa calm down it was a simple misunderstanding." Sasuke said putting his arm on Neji's shoulder who quickly brushed it off and ignored Sasuke entirely

"Naruto his power is similar to the ten-tails I can't measure it with the Byakugan!" Neji said to Naruto who wasn't really listening to what Neji had to say

"Hello Naruto!" Came the timid voice of Hinata to the side

"Hey Hinata! What's up?" Naruto asked

"Naruto are you even listening to me?" Neji asked pulling Naruto around to face him

"What!? Yeah, yeah power like the ten-tails blah blah!" Naruto said waving his hand in front of him, "I already know that!"

"But how?" Neji asked surprised at Naruto's complacency

"Actually this kid here is the same way!" Naruto said inclining towards Aiko

Neji looked at the kid who was talking with Katashi, _byakugan!_ As the world turned negative and he could see the vast chakra's of the two combining and separating like a great mist that was as vast as the ten-tails.

"He's just a boy though!" Neji said in shock

"It's never a wise idea to judge someone based on how they look!" came a voice from behind the group they all whirled around

"Kakashi!"

So a small word to the wise this story will get buried within twelve pages of other stories that occupy this field as Naruto seems to be the center of attention right now so if you read this story and like it it would be wise to either Fav or follow it or me so that you can get the updates as they come and not have to sort through all sorts of other stories. I like to take note of those that Fav or follow me or my stories so special thanks to Leannerose for faving the story. Ultima S. Next, The truth be told!

P.S I am aware that Neji died and I will be introducing other "deceased characters with the intent of describing how it is that they are alive now later.


	6. Chapter 6

"Kakashi Sensei what brings you back so soon you were sent to the Village Hidden in the Clouds!" Neji said in shock as the white haired man with a blue mask that covered the bottom of his face.

"The Raikage assures me that the Hidden Cloud will remain faithful to the Alliance. I felt something was wrong at the leaf and came back as quick as I could but it looks like everything's been taken care of." Kakashi said in his even toned voice looking around at the rebuilt section of the leaf.

Naruto smiled and rubbed his upper lip with his index.

"And who might our guests be?" Kakashi asked turning to Katashi and Aiko

"I am Katashi of Earth." The large man bowed

"And I am Aiko of Wind." The young boy announced

"And here I thought that the Elementals had been extinct since the time of the Sage of Six-paths!" Kakashi said with a smile.

"You know about them Kakashi?" Naruto asked with surprise

"I'm surprised Iruka Sensei didn't teach you about them in class." Kakashi said turning to Iruka who smiled and rubbed the back of his neck

"I don't trust them Kakashi their chakra is… immense!" Neji said looking over angrily at the large one with the beard

"That's because it isn't chakra." Kakashi shook his head and the rest of the village looked on in shock except for those that knew of the Alchemists, "They use elemental energy similar to how Naruto uses his sage mode but they can control whichever elements they use."

"More like manage!" Aiko said under his breath

Kakashi looked at Aiko for a second then turned his head to the side and smiled, "So what brings two legendary beings to the Leaf?"

"Well actually I came here on a misunderstanding!" Katashi laughed

"And I am escorting Naruto and his friends in case Ishida attacks them again." Aiko said

"Ishida… let me think, of Fire correct?" Kakashi asked

Aiko nodded

"Well then it's a good thing we have you two here!" Kakashi smiled and turned and said something to Neji who looked insulted but shook his head in agreement.

Neji approached Aiko and Katashi, "As guard of Konoha I would like to offer myself as a guide and show you around the village." He bowed

Aiko and Katashi looked at each other then back at Neji, "Let's GOOOO!" Katashi said pointing in one direction and heading off.

"But that way's the exit!" Neji yelled running to catch up with the man who moved a lot faster than he looked.

"So Naruto how went the discussion with the Mizukage?" Kakashi asked turning to the three

"Everything's A-O.K. they said they would continue to support the Shinobi Alliance!" Naruto reported happily

"So I'm interested in hearing what happened on your journey why don't you three tell me about it."

…..

Within the darkness an orange chakra lights the room where hangs Yagami from Shackles.

"It would seem as though they managed to stop brother Katashi's rampage. That power is truly something to behold!" Ishida said walking into the room.

"Why do you do this brother? We are brothers tempered from the same stone!" Yagami said looking at Ishida with a pale glare

"NO! You are like the sediment that surrounds the diamond! You have no value and pale in comparison to the brilliance!" Ishida yelled

"What has made you like this, brother?" Yagami asked

Ishida drew back his fist and slammed it across the face of Yagami whose clear blue blood stained the wall and the floor where it dripped into a small puddle.

"YOU MADE ME LIKE THIS! _BROTHER!_" Ishida yelled, "You and the others! Never acknowledged me as part of you! Even the Sage of Six-paths wanted nothing to do with me! I was far too 'violent' for any of you!"

"You're wrong brother each of us have our roles to play, each of us are important as the other!" Yagami yelled back

"You want the truth on what happened to me? Well let me tell you the truth of what happened to me!" Ishida said menacingly

"The sage of Six-Paths had finally captured the ten-tailed beast and became the father of Shinobi and chakra!" Ishida began, "Without its massive power as a temptation for the elemental nations we four champions of our clans met to sign for peace. The lands were divided according to nation as the Earth got the fruitful mountains, the water inherited the fertile valleys, even the wind received the lush forests and open plains, and what did the fire get? Empty plains and desert wastelands!"

"We took the land that was beneficial to our element!" Yagami yelled, "Even you agreed to it!"

"I had no choice!" Ishida said with disgust, "Our women toiled day after day trying to find enough to feed their hungry villages, as you other nations lived high off the land. True the plains calmed the hunger that fire breeds into the womb but we were more than hungry we were starving!"

"You could have come to us for food!" Yagami said looking down as he thought of the plight of his brother

Ishida laughed, "You think I meant food?! No, we were hungry for battle! The fires and explosions all of the delicious villages consumed to feed our element! Each of you had a land that would have burned nicely but we were forced to quench our flames for peace and after a few years we were tired of it!"

Ishida started to draw something on the wall with a charred stick as he continued his story, "About the time that the Sage of Six-Paths was about to pass on he had us help him use the Creation of All Things technique to split the power of the ten-tails before he left this world. Each of you had a lot of sway with the designs and attributes of the creatures but I knew that my time was short so I focused all of my malice and power to create a single one. I knew this malice would take a few years to develop and by that time everyone would suspect it was just the nature of the beast." Ishida drew a few dark eyes on his wall drawing that had begun to take shape.

"Little did I know that you would wind up sealing me in the demon Detashi, the justice of demons. You thought that Detashi would keep me there forever not realizing that demonic justice is easily swayed! To think you treated me like a tailed beast to be sealed inside a demon!" Ishida said with a smile as his head turned a little to the side and he looked at Yagami through the corner of his eye.

"Detashi allowed me information and after a while…, I was able to consume him!"

"You mind is clouded, Brother!" Yagami said fighting with the chains that held him bound, "We sought merely to calm the fighting and Detashi would provide you with adequate demons and souls to burn at your leisure it was a measure of peace!"

Ishida laughed again, "You know the greatest wars in history are often fought over that ideal! But I have a way a plan that is almost ready to bear fruit!" Ishida said and walked out of the room leaving a picture of a fox with nine-tails etched on the wall.

….

Naruto finished his seventh bowl of Ramen and patted his stomach, "No matter where I go there's never Ramen better than Ichiraku's!" he didn't notice Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi looking at him with contorted faces.

"Anyway Sensei, when we arrived here we saw the smoke rising from the village and came to see what was going on!" Sasuke said turning to Kakashi

"And that's when we ran into Katashi." Sakura finished

"Hmm, it seems like the alchemists are at odds this might prove dangerous for the village." Kakashi said looking at the ceiling

"If anyone threatens the village, whether they're elemental whatevers or not they'll have to deal with me first!" Naruto said just barely being able to stand before he fell back into his seat.

"That may be Naruto but I need team seven to go solidify our ties with the Village hidden in the Sand and the Shinobi Alliance. While on your way stop at the Village hidden in the sound and ask for their allegiance as well." Kakashi instructed

"Isn't the Sound Village kind of scattered where are their headquarters?" Sakura asked

"I believe in Orochimaru's original hideout you may find Orochimaru himself there if you do speak with him about the Alliance." Kakashi responded

"The sand village that's a few days journey from here idn'it?" Katashi said walking in the ramen shop with Aiko on his shoulders and Neji coming in out of breath behind him.

"What's the matter Neji? Can't keep up with the old man?" Sasuke taunted as Neji was just too fatigued to give him a dirty look.

"Don't tell me that you're going with them?" Kakashi said looking at the two.

"Our brother is out there somewhere and we need to stay by Naruto until we find him." Aiko said

"Very well, you are free to do as you will." Kakashi said shrugging his shoulders, "Just try to stay out of trouble." He said turning to Naruto who was busy belching and patting his stomach.

As the small group approached the gate Hinata stood by the entrance, "Naruto…," She said softly and Naruto turned.

"Huh?... Oh Hinata!... What is it?" Naruto asked as Hinata twirled her fingers.

"Nothing,… It's just that… I heard that you were going to the sand and… and I have a mission and won't be back for… it's just that…" She kind of stuttered and then quickly leaned in and gave Naruto a kiss on the cheek before running away.

Naruto watched her run with his hand to his face where she'd kissed him, "I wonder what that was about?"

Sakura's face became red and soon Naruto had a few lumps on his head while Sakura towered above him, "WHEN IS YOUR THICK HEAD GONNA REALIZE…!" eventually she just sighed and walked out the doorway to the village as Aiko and Katashi looked at Naruto beaten up on the ground with a bead of sweat down their backs.

Sasuke just sighed and walked out the doorway towards the Sand.

Thanks all for reading this it is really a lot of fun to write though I need to write like a million chapters a day just to keep it visible seriously I don't post it five minutes before it gets to page 11 and by then no one will read it da da da. Anyways I hope that those that can read it do enjoy it Ultima S. next, On the Road to the Sand.


	7. Chapter 7

"Sinking at the edge of time, no remorse but no future, no hate but no love, not a beginning nor an end but most of all everything about nothing." Katashi finished his poem

It had been the better half of a day since they left the Hidden Leaf Village and they wandered through the open fields that surrounded the Land Hidden in the Sound. Orochimaru had created the village to hide his experiments but since the end of the Shinobi War he had taken control of the Village as its Otokage though not recognized by the five great nations. He had taken a turn aside from his plans to perfect all the Jutsu in the world and now focused on building up the Hidden Sound Village.

"That was amazing. Where did you learn that poem!?" Sakura said having listened intently

"Katashi writes the stuff." Aiko responded

"It all sounded like gibberish to me." Naruto said with his arms behind his back

Sakura got a furious look on her face, "THAT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING…" She yelled pounding Naruto to the ground

Aiko looked back at them and sighed, "Do they fight like that all the time?" Ketashi demanded

"Only when they're in a good mood." Sasuke said monotonously

"Hey Sasuke!" Aiko called from on top of Katashi's shoulder, "Why don't you and Neji get along?"

"Is it truly that obvious?" Sasuke said looking down at the path

"You don't do much to hide it." Sakura said stopping her beating with Naruto

"When Neji died in the last war I was still a traitor to the Leaf." Sasuke said simply

"And when he was revived and found that Sasuke had returned as though nothing happened it made him very upset." Sakura finished

"Typical of you humans of today. Holding grudges that aren't worth holding." Katashi said shaking his head

"I wouldn't be talking." Naruto said from behind which made Katashi turn and look at him

"Explain yourself!"

"Well look at this Ishida guy he's holding a grudge that's not worth holding." Naruto said in a matter-of-factly tone

"Actually I don't think that's it!" Aiko said walking through the air over to Naruto, "I think it's just his nature to seek power and battle. Not out of true desire to hurt anyone but just because that's what the element of fire is, ravenous consumption."

Suddenly Sasuke stopped the group and pulled out his Katana. He looked to each side and then quickly rushed forward as everyone watched his katana stop hard on an arm brace that looked like a flute.

"Dosu!" Naruto said with a smile running over

"Sharp as ever Sasuke." Kin said coming out from hiding in the woods

Dosu flicked his arm braces and Sasuke's katana began to shake vehemently until Sasuke managed to pull it out.

"You shouldn't sneak up on us!" Sasuke said aggravated

"As the newly appointed guards of Otogakure we take whatever precautions deemed… necessary." Dosu responded

"Wow so you finally have a village guard?" Sakura asked

"And who are these gentlemen, and lady." Katashi bowed

"These are the Shinobi from the sound who took the chunin exams with us just a few years ago." Sakura said, "Dosu, Kin and Zaku. At the time they were under Orochimaru's orders to kill Sasuke but since the end of the war they've been pretty friendly."

"Yeah but if ya ask me they're a few pinecones short of a tree!" Naruto said behind his hand

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Kin yelled at Naruto

Naruto waved his hands in front of him with sweat pouring down his face, "I didn't say anything, honest!"

"Now Naruto that's not true you said…." Katashi started as Naruto clasped his hand in front of the man's mouth

"How wonderful the Hidden sound was, it's such a beautiful country hahaha!" Naruto finished nervously

"Anyways," Sakura said turning from the two, "We're here to speak with Orochimaru about the status of the Hidden Sound Village in the Shinobi Alliance."

"We'll take you to him but we aren't joining the Alliance." Kin said with a wave of her hand

"What why?" Naruto asked seriously

"It would be better for our Otokage to respond to that." Dosu interrupted and led them towards the center of the sound where the group noticed a lot of changes were made to the village.

It was still shadowed by giant trees and mountains but there were buildings built along the side of the mountains and into the trees. There were rope bridges that led everywhere and the village itself was surrounded with a thick wall like many of the great Shinobi Villages.

The house of the Otokage was still buried deep underground but there were now large signs hanging from the trees and the entrance was well lit.

Naruto looked at Sasuke who had stopped at the entrance to the headquarters of the Otokage, "Huh? What's wrong Sasuke?"

"I have no place here anymore. I won't see Orochimaru." Sasuke said turning around, "I'll wait for you when you come out."

"We'll stay with Sasuke." Aiko and Katashi said in unison

"Why?" Sakura asked

"We just are too big a fans of underground." Aiko responded

"Whatever!" Naruto said waiving his hand, "Dossu lead the way!"

Dossu nodded and the group entered the underground lab which remained mostly as they remembered except this time it was well lit and had many more Sound Ninja wandering the halls. They entered into a large chamber where Orochimaru sat at a desk with the symbol of the Sound displayed on the front and stacks of paperwork in front of him.

"Hmm Naruto, Sakura and company. Interesting to see you here." Orochimaru said looking up from his papers.

No matter how much things had changed there was still a dark feeling to Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru," Sakura bowed out of politeness, "We are traveling on our way to the Sand and are here on behalf of the Shinobi Alliance to find what we can do to ensure the support of the Sound Village."

"Hmm," Orochimaru thought for a little bit, "The Hidden Sound will not be joining your Alliance." He said simply

"And why is that?" Naruto said getting frustrated

"The Sound Village was created so that Shinobi could get away from the affairs of the Five Great Nations, at least that's what I said before." Orochimaru smiled, "I'm simply trying to form a village after that design."

"But don't you realize that the Shinobi Alliance isn't about the affairs of just the Five Great Nations? It involves all Shinobi!" Naruto said putting his hand in a fist

"Believe what you want." Orochimaru said with a shrug, "In the end we will not be joining your alliance. You should watch that temper of yours Naruto."

Naruto gritted his teeth and then turned towards the exit.

"Oh come now Naruto you disappoint me giving up so easily!" Orochimaru smiled, "We might not join the alliance but the Village Hidden in the Sound will be… friendly towards the alliance." Orochimaru stated clasping his hands in front of his face and resting his elbows on the desk.

Naruto turned and looked blankly for a moment before smiling and putting his finger up in a "Thumbs up", "OK!" he said and he and Sakura left the building.

On the outside of the village Sasuke, Aiko and Katashi rejoined the group and they started on the road again.

"So, What did Orochimaru say?" Sasuke asked

"He said he wouldn't join the Alliance but the sound would remain friendly to it." Sakura informed

"I can't wait to see Gaara again!" Naruto said changing the subject

"Gaara of the Sand?" Aiko asked

"Yeah, you heard of him?" Sakura asked

"His control over Sand is very much like an elemental so he has some rapport with us, though we haven't shown him our true nature." Aiko said

"Why do I feel like somethin's goin' to happen and soon!" Katashi said looking around

At that moment miles away in a cave Ishida looked out on the Hidden Sand Village with contempt.

"The fire burns! It Burns!" He said demonically, "For Battle!"

Thanks for reading I know that the last few Chapters have been slow going but that is going to change by next chapter I promise. SunShineJ Thank you for Faving and Following the Story and Secrets of the Moonlight for Faving my Pokémon Zelda Crossover. I am going to be writing the story at night and posting it the next day around ten from now on so that it gets maximum exposure before being buried under miles of other stories. Have fun! Ultima S. Next, Battle at the Sand… Again!


	8. Chapter 8

"Why does the Sand village have to be located in the desert!" Naruto complained walking slowly letting his arms hang out in front of him.

"I would tell you if it wasn't so hot!" Sakura said walking uprightly yet letting her head droop as the waves of heat made the sky in front of them seem to dance

"Quit complaining you two! Act like Shinobi!" Sasuke said wiping his own sweat drenched brow

Something had changed about the desert since last they had arrived, it seemed hotter than before without even the dead trees that once littered the landscape.

"It seems like our friends can't stand the heat!" Katashi said to Aiko as they pressed on

"Look on the bright side Naruto!" Aiko said

"What bright side?" Naruto said not looking up

"Without any wind here you can practice walking on air." Aiko smiled

Naruto stopped and the others stopped and looked at him, his shoulders quivered a little bit as he slowly stood up.

"THAT'S A GREAT IDEA!" Naruto yelled causing everyone to fall backwards

Naruto focused on creating small yet powerful bursts of chakra from the bottom of his feet. The sand under him moved in response to the bursts and soon Naruto started to lift slightly off the desert ground but quickly fell backwards as though he'd slipped on ice.

Meanwhile in the sand village an attendant places a few files in front of a young boy with red hair and a symbol of love tattooed on his forehead. The man was sweating profusely and fainted slightly in the presence of the Kazekage.

"Lord Gaara!" The attendant who caught the man said anxiously

"Get him to the infirmary." Came the calm measured tone of the boy

As they took the man out one of the other attendants turned to Gaara, "With this heat wave as bad as it is we might start seeing a few deaths in the Sand!"

"It would seem as though the desert itself was on fire." Gaara said resting his head on his hands

"You don't even know the half of it!" Came a sinister tone from the shadows.

A figure entered the room and as soon as he did the room itself seemed to increase its temperature by another thirty degrees. Gaara seemed unaffected yet his attendants fainted from the overwhelming heat.

"Interesting, my fiery chakra doesn't seem to affect the demon of the Sand." The man said

"I would assume you are the one called Ishida?" Gaara said closing his eyes momentarily

"So you know me already!?" Ishida said with a smiled that showed his jagged teeth

"As soon as the desert started to burn I recognized your chakra. Here in the sand we keep detailed records of our geneology. Especially that of our founder." Gaara said looking at Ishida without moving his head.

"It is good to know that people here have not forgotten the fire." Ishida turned towards the doorway which suddenly blocked itself in a wall of sand, "Are you sure you want to travel this path?" Ishida turned his head and smiled

"You once lead your nation to extinction I won't allow you to do the same to mine!"

Ishida drew his katana and was inches from Gaara's throat in a matter of instants. If not for Gaara's sand his head would have come clean off. Gaara just sat there on his seat and looked at Ishida as his sand wrapped around the blade.

"It is true what my brothers have told me. You control sand like an elemental… but can you use it like one!" Ishida sneered and his chakra burst into flames that melted the sand into glass before he broke the glass to pieces.

The sand from the door rushed at the back of Ishida knocking him out the window high above the stucco houses below. Gaara manipulated his sand into a giant scythe that knocked Ishida hard to the steep valley walls that surrounded the Hidden Sand Village. He then formed his sand into a hard compact ball that grew sharp spikes that flew straight into Ishida pinning him to the rock surface.

"Sand Coffin!" He yelled stretching forth his hand and causing the sand to flow over and around Ishida like a liquid, as it stopped Ishida's arms went limp and his head hung low as his body was covered in rock hard sand. Gaara pulled his outstretched hand close to his face and clenched it into a fist, "Sand Burial!"

The sand imploded at multiple intensities causing a red liquid to fall from the mouth of Ishida and mix with the sand that surrounded him. Gaara looked at the limp body knowing that he was far from dead.

"You can stop your acting I can feel your heartbeat." Gaara said

Ishida smiled and the red liquid burst into flames as Gaara withdrew his sand that was quickly turning to glass. He laughed and jumped high into the air supporting himself on an intense updraft caused of flames. Gaara caused his sand to rush towards Ishida who just put up his hand as a burst of flames formed causing a lot of it to fall to the ground Shattering on impact.

"You certainly have mastered control but you are vastly lacking in power!" Ishida laughed as a flame surrounded his Katana in increasing brilliance. He rushed forward as Gaara deftly moved to the side.

_I need to get him out of the village!_ Gaara thought to himself, "As long as I am alive my people will never follow the likes of you." Gaara said simply

"Then I guess we'll just have to end your life!" Ishida fell for the trap

He rushed at Gaara making a special series of hand signs, "Hidden elemental technique Battle Armor of Fire!" Ishida yelled as flames surrounded his body

The flames formed blazing armor that surrounded his entire body and caused the air around him to heat up melting the sand into molten drops of glass as it blew in the wind.

_My sand can't be near that heat there needs to be a way to cool him down!_

Gaara flung himself backwards over the top of the desert below and outside of the village followed closely by Ishida. Temari and Konkuro climbed to the top of the Kage building after hearing of the attack on Gaara and seeing part of the fight above.

"We need to do something!" Konkuro said pulling out his Black Ant.

Temari put out her hand to stop him, "Did you see the flames coming off that man! Your puppets would be burned to ashes long before they could be effective!"

"We've gotta do something!" Konkuro said looking as flame and sand fought outside the village

"I'll go and you gather any Shinobi that can use wind style attacks!" Temari yelled as she jumped off the roofs and headed towards the valley walls.

Meanwhile the fight had returned to the ground as a sea of glass and molten sand formed around Ishida and his fire armor wherever he set his foot.

"Sand Tsunami!" Gaara yelled lifting both his arms and hitting them on the ground as a giant wave of sand formed in front of him speeding towards Ishida.

Ishida made a few hand signs, "Elemental technique Fire wall!" He yelled and a wall of flames issued out in front of him heating up the wave of sand as it was crashing towards him.

"Wind Release: Cyclone Cutter!" Came a variety of voices to the side as a group of tessenjutsu users attacked and created a large cyclone of wind that made its way towards Ishida.

"NO!" Gaara yelled as the cyclone hit Ishida with its full brunt of wind cutting twirls

The cyclone itself lit up in huge flames that caused the face of the valley wall to melt and stream down the side in a lava flow. The heat turned all of the surrounding sand to glass including the giant wall of sand that was coming straight for Ishida.

"Thank you!" Came Ishida's voice from the center of the vortex as it finally stopped, "A good fire always needs to be fed with a strong wind, don't you agree Gaara of the Desert?"

"Something tells me we just made this battle a lot harder!"

Thanks for reading sorry for not posting sooner I was tired, thanks to chrissyroo1 for faving the story once again I appreciate anyone who likes the read. As well over 600 views this month alone thank you for the support and keep up the reading the world needs more readers. Ultima S. next, Enter the Fray Nine-tails vs. Elemental!


	9. Chapter 9

(Minor Grammar Corrections Update)

"Everyone stay in the village!" Gaara called out to them

"But Gaara…!" Temari started

"Enough! Stay in the village that is an order!" Gaara said with emphasis

"What's the matter Gaara? The peons not listening? Well let's help them clear their ears!" Ishida said and turned to the group of wind users who braced for attack

He lifted his pointer finger as a small dart shot out and pierced the heart of the Ninja to the side of Temari causing him to fall dead to the ground then burst into flames.

"It's like hunting fish in a barrel." Ishida smiled and fired a few other darts. They went so fast and pierced armor and weapons alike.

"ENOUGH!" Gaara yelled and a pillar of sand shot up from under Ishida protected from the terrible heat from the melting sand that sat on top. "Sand Spire!" Gaara yelled and the center of the column of sand opened revealing a large drop onto spikes underneath. Ishida fell into the pit and disappeared from view. Gaara swiftly moved his hand in a cutting fashion in front of him and the spire inverted from the top collapsing inwards, "Iron Maiden of the Sand!" Gaara said with disgust as the sides of the now donut shaped sand spire became pocked with millions of tiny inverted sand spikes that then shrunk together in a crushing collapse.

Temari watched in shock, she'd never seen Gaara use a technique like that _he must've learned it from watching Konkuro's puppets!_ Temari said to herself.

Suddenly the formation of sand grew clear and melted into a thick pool of glass around Ishida who looked out on Gaara unscathed.

"So you _do_ have some power. Good it will make it more interesting when I kill you!"

Gaara could feel his chakra dwindle as the sand spire and Iron Maiden of the Sand consumed a lot of energy.

"That attack might have killed me had it not been for the wind users giving me the advantage of stoking the flames!" Ishida smiled looking sidelong at Temari who stepped back in fear.

"This fighting is tiring to me and it seems as though this village will continue to fight against me no matter what I do." Ishida said shrugging his shoulders and closing his eyes, "I guess that leaves me with one alternative… Burn it to the ground!"

Ishida raised his hands to the sky, "Hidden Elemental Technique Solar Burst!" He yelled but before he could complete a single hand sign he was sent flying to the side of the mountain where it crumbled and melted around him. He looked out and saw Naruto standing there with a fist in front of him and one sleeve on fire.

"Naruto Your Sleeve!" Sakura yelled

"Huh? WHA! HOT! HOT! HOT! Dang it that's hot!" He yelled as he waved his arm in front of him and put out the fire.

"I was wondering when you'd arrive!" Ishida said smiling at Naruto

"So happy we didn't disappoint!" Sasuke said from the side as he charged at Ishida with his Katana withdrawn.

Their swords met as Sasuke's lighting blade protected the metal on his katana from the extreme heat from Ishida's blade but not Sasuke himself as his outfit caught fire. Sasuke jumped back and quickly extinguished the flames.

"He's far too hot to get close to!" Sasuke yelled to Naruto

"Naruto fire elemental energy is what made me!" Kurama said within Naruto

"I thought the Sage of Six-Paths created you!" Naruto said turning to the nine-tails fox

Kurama shook his head, "That is a detail for another time but for now you need to release my full form if you want to protect this village!"

Naruto nodded and from without his psyche his body glowed in white flames and a Haori formed down his back flapping in the chakra flames that floated off his body. The golden chakra formed around Naruto's body taking the form of the nine-tails with large black marks that extended down its back and arms with glowing eyes.

"I can taste the power! The flames of hate still burn brightly Kurama!" Ishida said licking his lips

"Ishida! You know as you are right now you stand no chance against me." Kurama growled

Ishida smiled then laughed causing Kurama to scowl at the creature.

"Believe me Kurama I am most certainly different than before." Ishida said as a red shroud formed around Ishida. It looked similar to the nine-tails cloak that had initially plagued Naruto except Ishida's shroud formed one tail and what looked like demon wings and a long neck of chakra led to a serpent-like head which breathed flames.

"Brother you didn't!" Aiko yelled in shock

"Oh but I did!" Ishida yelled back, "Phoenix Flame!" He said simply and a line of fire issued from Ishida and trailed towards the nine-tails.

It was like a volcano had exploded as molten sand and rock forced upwards on Naruto and surrounded him entirely. Ishida smiled as he moved in a graceful dance-like pattern that seemed to twist and contort the molten materials around Naruto soon hardening and compacting into a dense ball of rock and glass.

The rock began to crack and soon it shattered in all directions as Naruto exited in golden flames unscathed. Naruto looked at himself, _how could I survive that! Without even a scratch!_

"If you want to kill someone Ishida I have a suggestion for you!" Kurama said looking down then straight into the frowning fire Alchemist's eyes, "Don't infuse them with your chakra!" And with that Kurama plunged his nine tails into the ground as Gaara raised his arms and a column of sand formed in a circular fashion enclosing the group inside the arena.

The Kyuubi's arms came up from the sand and grabbed Ishida holding him tight while resisting the flames that surrounded him. Ishida broke free using his demon shroud, "Elemental Technique Fire Tornado!" He yelled and suddenly the circular arena that Gaara had made from sand was shrouded by a spinning flame tornado that increased the temperature in the center by several degrees per second.

Naruto watched as Sakura and Sasuke fought to put out the flames that were lighting on their clothes.

"Kurama!" Naruto yelled

Kurama nodded and some of Kurama's chakra surrounded the group keeping them from the influence of the flames.

"Naruto I can't keep everyone protected for long we need to stop the flames!" Kurama said within his psyche

"Aiko! Try to counter act this tornado!" Naruto yelled

"At this heat it'll just burn everyone to a crisp if I use my wind. It feeds his flame!" Aiko shouted

Katashi made a few hand signs, "Hidden Alchemist technique Solidify!" Katashi yelled and suddenly the ground turned into solid rock, "Hidden Elemental Technique Growing Mountain!" Katashi yelled and suddenly a peak started to form out of the solid rock.

Everyone looked on in amazement but it couldn't grow more than a few inches before melting.

"We need Yagami!" Aiko yelled to Katashi.

"I can handle this!" Kurama yelled to Aiko, "Just take the others and look for Yagami!"

Aiko nodded.

"Wait Naruto I…" Sakura started but Aiko had made his hand signs and everyone that was within the vortex disappeared except for Kurama and Ishida.

"You cannot take me down with my own element!" Kurama said through scowling glances

"I told you Kurama I have changed! I now have the power of a demon god!" Ishida yelled and the flames intensified to the point where Kurama just started to feel the discomfort, "I can still feel it! My malice, my power all still exist within you! And now intensified through your trials and hardships. YOU ARE ME!"

Thanks for reading everyone it is a lot of fun to write this story and I'm glad to see that each time I post at least an hundred people get the chance to read it. I tell you it is my dream some day to do an anime series and hopefully one day I will. Next chapter is going to be more revelatory than fighting so be prepared! Also Special thanks to SuperRyoshi for not only following the story but also following the Author. Ultima S. Next Kurama Origins!


	10. Chapter 10

****(Minor Grammar Changes Update)

**(Flashback to the Sage of Six-Paths after sealing the Ten-tails.)**

"Master!" A young woman with red hair yelled as the monk of the six-paths temple fell to the ground.

The battle had been fierce and the monk had only just barely learned to use and control chakra and with the help of this woman had discovered a way to seal the vicious beast that had subdued most of the world.

"Master… How do you feel?" The woman asked as the monk slowly opened his eyes revealing a purple-ish eye with circles extending outwards from the pupil.

"I've felt better." The monk said coughing up some blood and fainting.

"Master! Master!" The woman yelled as everything went black

The monk woke up in a room with silky white curtains blowing in the breeze. There was the sound of children playing and people doing their business as usual and to his side the young woman was asleep on the edge of the bed.

"Masuyo, what happened?" The monk asked

Masuyo looked up and saw that her master was sitting up and immediately threw her arms around him, "Oh master Namikaze we thought you were going to die!"

"Masuyo." Monk Namikaze stated softly and put his arms around her.

From his stomach he could feel the intense pain of the ten-tails as it fought to free itself from the newfound cage it was entered in. Along with this pain monk Namikaze felt something else, an intense power like he'd never felt before but mixed with it was an intense hatred that seemed to engulf that power such that the two were nearly indistinguishable.

"Master they are calling you a sage now!" Masuyo said pulling herself and monk Namikaze, "And the elemental nations are calling a truce. Their leaders are going to a summit to engage in peace talks!"

"How long was I out!?" Monk Namikaze said worriedly

"About three weeks!" Masuyo responded

"All of this in three weeks?!" monk Namikaze asked in disbelief, "The elemental nations have been fighting since the creation of the ten-tails and now they decide to make peace!"

Masuyo nodded.

"And what of the temple?" monk Namikaze asked

"It stands! Your flock await." Masuyo responded

Monk Namikaze rose from the bed and walked out the door down the wooden steps and walked outside. The sky was no longer blood red from when the ten- tails had approached and the village itself, though obviously in need of repair, was calm and beautiful. There was a group of people waiting at the door for the Monk-now-Sage and as he exited they all shouted, "Sage Namikaze!"

Sage Namikaze shielded the sun from his face, he wore long robes and a Haori that extended to his jaw line with the collar. His hair was spiky and blond, he also wore a small goatee around his chin which accented his youthful face. His eyes had returned to their normal state being mostly blue with some magatama circling the pupil. He supported himself on a staff walking out to see his new followers of the way of the Shinobi.

From the road Sage Namikaze could see a man running up towards him, obviously an elemental from the land of wind with bleach white hair and deep green eyes.

"Sage Namikaze!" The man yelled and approached, "I just received news of your awakening!" He said as he stopped and bowed in front of the Sage.

"How could you have received news? He just awoke!" Masuyo asked annoyed

"Aio the wind current told me!" The man said inclining his head towards Masuyo

"Oh!" Masuyo said and blushed

"Master Sage Namikaze the Alchemists would like to invite you to oversee the peace talks between the four great Elemental Nations as well as represent your own nation in these talks." The man said

"Why would the leaders choose to have me be the intermediary?" Sage Namikaze asked

"I am not told everything Sage Namikaze." The man said

Sage Namikaze looked at the man for a moment and then closed his eyes and let out a sigh, "Very well! Let your masters know that I agree to be their mediator."

"Thank you very much sir!" The man responded and made a few handsigns and disappeared from in front of them.

It was nearly a month later when the summit was called and the Sage Namikaze, now called the Sage of Six-paths for his teachings of the six-paths of Ninjutsu and Shinobi entered the deep valley summit building located at the exact center for each of the warring countries. There was a small river and a mountain that overlooked the building. _There is something special about this place_. The Sage said to himself as he entered the makeshift building set up for the purpose of the summit.

The summit itself passed without much incident. Aiko, Yagami and Katashi were all willing to work out a peace agreement and soon Ishida finally agreed to sign a treaty that would divide the land between the five Nations. Yagami spoke first taking the land that included most of the water ways and oceans, Aiko took many of the valleys and forests. Katashi received the vast mountain ranges and Ishida consented to the desert for he knew of the intense hunger that the fire element had for battle.

"And as for you Sage what land does your people want?" The four looked at the Sage

"My people?" The Sage asked looking down, "Have you learned nothing at this summit!? I have sat here and watched you divide this land as though it was some pastry to be consumed piece by piece. We are here to find a way for the elements to live in harmony not separated from each other!"

"We must go where our elements will be at peace!" Yagami stated rising from his seat as a blue aura surrounded him.

"Your elements could be perfectly at peace sharing a field with the others!" The Sage responded angrily

"Enough! This is how we have decided!" Ishida said feeling the heat of anger emanating through the assembly.

"Calm yourself Ishida!" Katashi yelled seeing Ishida's orange aura start to grow

"As though I would listen because you tell me!" Ishida said with digust spitting a fiery dart that melted through the table at the place of Katashi.

"Why you!" Katashi yelled and rose from his seat and headed towards Ishida.

They were on the verge of coming to blows when suddenly each were thrown into their seats and their elements forcefully calmed at the overwhelming strength of some exterior force. They looked around to see the Sage of Six-Paths with two fingers below his chin and a line of chakra that emanated from his stomach and mixed with their aura's.

"I will not ask again!" Sage Namikaze said

"Tis the demon power of the ten-tails!" Katashi said putting his arms across his chest.

"Such power!" Ishida said having felt the intensity of the chakra

"Now we shall discuss the means of peace! Though I may not agree I would rather there be peace between the nations then continue in this endless war!" Sage Namikaze responded

After that moment the Alchemists accepted Sage Namikaze into their group and they formed the basis of Five great nations each led by their elemental heads and the art of the Shinobi was to be taught throughout each nation in hopes to attain peace through the teachings of the Sage of Six-Paths.

Sage Namikaze married Masuyo not too long afterwards and they had children together, The first they named Uchiha, the second they named Senju each had characteristics similar to their father with color similar to their mother. They were constantly bickering back and forth but in the end there wasn't anything that one brother wouldn't do for the other. A third and fourth child was born to them the youngest taking on the name Namikaze to continue the tradition of the Sage Namikaze and the other to take on the tradition of his mother, Uzumaki.

Each son grew and started their families which grew rapidly over the course of just a few generations. Soon the world was covered with people trained in the art of the Shinobi and they separated forming clans and sub clans each pleased with how the Sage was handling the affairs of the world as they knew it and failing to realize the increasing age of the Sage of Six-Paths.

Eventually the four elemental nations disappeared and were replaced by villages and nations run under royalty and not power nor military might. The sage saw the world and saw that it was nearly time for him to die as the power of the Ten-tails began to tear at the seal that had long held it captive.

The Sage realized that soon he would not be strong enough to withstand the power of the beast and he needed to find some way to control that power even after he had passed on. He called together the Alchemists and met them at the same building that he had mediated their peace treaty so long ago.

"My brothers!" He said his voice now frail with age, "I am to die soon and the beast within me is slowly degrading the seal which holds its unfathomable power captive. There is nothing I can do to stop this so I need someone to take my place and hold this power within their body to preserve peace as a Jinchuriki!"

"Brother I volunteer!" Ishida said almost immediately

"Why do you volunteer brother? All you desire is the power of this beast!" Yagami stated with contempt, "I volunteer!"

"Enough wit the lot of you!" Katashi said, "I will be the one to take on the burden of the beast!"

The three brothers fought like animals deciding who would be the one to take on this power each one with the intent of gaining the advantage over the others. The sage listened sadly aware that he was not strong enough now to stop them should a fight of elements be initiated. He looked towards Aiko who was looking at the ground from about eye level with the rest of the Alchemist.

"And you Aiko are you also to fight for this power?" The Sage asked with fatigue in his voice

"Brother Namikaze," Aiko responded, "There is another way!"

The three brothers stopped their fighting immediately and turned to Aiko, "Shut your trap!" Ishida yelled.

"Let him speak!" Namikaze responded allowing a little of the beast's chakra to escape giving him a more demonic appearance

The other's glared at Aiko as Aiko talked to Sage Namikaze, "It is a special Alchemist technique, it requires all of us including you. It is called the Creation of All Things."

Thanks for reading sorry that I haven't written in a little bit but I've been dealing with a lot of junk lately and I didn't have the ability to think clearly enough to write. Special thanks to Dragonball256 for Faving my story The Death of Ash. Hopefully you all enjoyed this chapter and next one I might have either more reveals or wait till later for them I haven't decided yet but guaranteed little baby Kurama will be in there. Ultima S. Next Kurama Origins Continued.


	11. Chapter 11

Gaara sat in the center of the desert where they had landed just instants before at the request of Aiko and Katashi to help them find their brother.

"We can't leave Naruto to fight Ishida by himself!" Sasuke said angrily

"We would only be in the way." Gaara said calmly as Sasuke shot a wicked glance towards him

"What do you mean Gaara?" Sakura asked intently

"All of our attacks did nothing to him and the only reason we are still alive is because he shared some of his chakra shroud with us. The Kyuubi is resistant to the flames while we are not." Gaara said pointing towards Sasuke's burnt arm.

"Sasuke!" Sakura said looking at the burn having just noticed it. She ran towards him and immediately started applying first aid and Medical Ninjutsu, "This burn has some strange characteristics. It doesn't seem to take to easily to healing Ninjutsu." She said

Sasuke pulled his arm away but Sakura grabbed it and held it still as she continued to apply first aid.

"Our only hope is to find Yagami whose element quenches the fire within Ishida!" Aiko said turning to Gaara who seemed to be meditating.

Gaara's senses coursed through the sand of the desert poking and probing at every cave or hole from the boundaries of the land of wind to himself. It had taken him years to spread his fine chakra infused sand from one end of the land to the other but he did manage to accomplish the task and now had the ability to feel every footstep across the desert.

"Hmm…" Gaara said to himself as Aiko finished checking the wind. Katashi couldn't check the earth as the sand was all too loose without any solid earth in sight.

"What is it Gaara?" Sakura asked having finished putting a wrap around Sasuke's arm

"I believe I've found him." Gaara said opening his eyes

"Could you sense him!?" Aiko asked excitedly

Gaara shook his head.

"Then how do you know you found him?" Katashi asked

"My sand allows me to sense every subtle change in the desert from the wind on the dunes to the insects burrowing into it. My senses are complete from one end of this land to the other but there is one area now that I can feel nothing." Gaara responded

"Ishida must've set up a barrier!" Sasuke said looking around, "Which direction?" He asked Gaara

A line of sand rose from the ground leading into the distance. The group immediately set off at top speed running along the line of sand. They ran across the desert and eventually arrived at the old hideout where Orochimaru had trained Sasuke when he was perfecting Jutsu's. It was here that the line of sand stopped completely at the entrance.

They ran into the opening and looked around, "Sasuke isn't this…!?" Sakura started

"You all need to follow me I know this place well and I know that no sensory techniques will work within these walls." Sasuke said and darted off in one direction. There were torches lit up in every square inch of the cavern causing it to be incredibly hot though still cooler than the outside.

They ran through what seemed like endless mazes underground and eventually came to an open door and entered inside.

"Yagami! Brother!" Aiko yelled seeing his blue skinned brother hanging from shackles looking incredibly dehydrated.

Aiko used a blast of wind that sliced the shackles that were meant to keep only water at bay. Yagami fell to the ground and Sakura immediately rushed over and started applying some Medical Ninjutsu connecting torn muscles and damaged organs with chakra. Sasuke leaned over the man and grabbed a small water pouch from his side and poured it into the man's mouth.

Immediately upon the touch of water to his lips the man's appearance became healthier and his face became fuller and stronger. Soon he opened his eyes to see himself surrounded by the group.

"Aiko!... Katashi!... My Brothers!" He said happily and tried to stand but wound up falling and needing to be supported by Katashi.

"Yagami we need to get you to Ishida, Kurama is fighting him!" Aiko said

"What!? No we must get to Kurama NOW!" Yagami said and they started to head towards the door but were blocked by Sasuke.

"No one's going anywhere until you tell me what the meaning of _this_ is!" Sasuke said pointing to the wall where a charcoal drawing of the ninetails with the symbol for hate (Kirai) was enscribed on the chest.

"If you think you can stop us…" Kitashi said squaring up to Sasuke

"Don't make this difficult!" Gaara said from behind Sasuke and walked to Sasuke's side. This visibly deterred Katashi who stepped back a little, "Naruto has saved my life as well as the lives of all those who live in the Shinobi world. We want to know what danger is facing him now that has even the Alchemists worried for him."

Yagami looked at them and then looked down closing his eyes, "Tell them Aiko."

"But Brother!" Katashi started

"Enough! They deserve to know after all it is our fault that their friend is in danger." Yagami said looking angrily at Katashi

"Do we even have time to talk! If Naruto is in danger it's best if we go help him right away!" Sakura said worriedly

The three Alchemists looked at each other and nodded. They made a few hand signs and said in unison, "Yin Release Time stop Jutsu!"

Suddenly the world was still and even the flames stopped dancing entirely.

"What's going on?" Sasuke asked not turning his head from the three Alchemists

"Once the Sage of Six-Paths mastered chakra control he taught us Alchemists all of his techniques and Jutsu's one of which is the Time Stop Jutsu which halts all time and motion outside the immediate eyesight of the casters. It takes an incredible amount of energy and if we are to still fight Ishida we need to hurry to tell our story."

"It started with Aiko informing the Sage of Six Paths about the Creation of All Things." Aiko Began

**(Flashback to where Aiko first mentioned the Creation of All Things to Sage Namikaze)**

"For the head of an elemental nation you sure have a big mouth!" Yagami stated disgusted that Aiko was about to inform the Sage of their most highly treasured technique

"I said let him speak!" Sage Namikaze said allowing the ten tails cloak to fall upon him which caused everyone in the room to stop speaking, "Continue Aiko!"

"It is a technique passed down through the Elemental Nations since the Almighty entrusted his creative powers on man. It was the same technique that was used to create the ten-tails."

"AIKO!" Katashi yelled angrily

The ten tails cloak reached out and grasped the Elemental and shook him wildly before slamming him on the ground, "So help me! If one more of you attempts to silence this boy I will silence you! Permanently!"

"So much for peace!" Yagami said under his breath

"You're saying the ten-tails was a product of the Elemental Nations?" Sage Namikaze asked

Aiko nodded, "It was originally meant to be a symbol of peace and harmony among the nations as each element had all of its power poured into the creation of the creature, unfortunately each nation also tried to secretly pour its desire for the destruction of the other nations in the creature as well and it turned and started to destroy all the nations. This was how our war started as each nation blamed the other for poisoning the ten-tails against their respective element."

"And how will this help me?" Sage Namikaze asked

"We can still use the Creation of All Things to create bodies to fill with power and intent, if we used it to build separate houses for the ten-tails chakra we could also fill them with your intent for peace and potentially never need another Jinchuriki." Aiko responded

"Very well! We shall do as such!" Sage Namikaze said and the other Alchemist glared hatefully at Aiko.

"Do not fret my friends, my brothers! I want you to help me find the perfect houses for this powerful chakra as this time they will be the symbols of peace to this Shinobi World that we have helped to create." Sage Namikaze said with a smile looking to each of the Elemental Heads of the Nations.

They looked at each other and then to Sage Namikaze, "Very well we will assist!"

They spent that day speaking amongst themselves and looking at all sorts of flora and fauna that surrounded the structure from where they were stationed. Each element was speaking excitedly about what creatures and powers would go well together and how each one would differ vastly from the next. Yagami, Aiko and Katashi worked together forming the ideas for eight different creatures but Ishida stayed withdrawn from the group drawing and redrawing his idea for a beast to house incredible amounts of power and, unknown to his companions, his intense hatred and hunger for destruction.

At the end of the week Sage Namikaze returned, "Have you found worthy vessels for the power of the ten-tails?"

"We have Sage Namikaze!" Aiko responded, "Behold the 'Nine Tailed Beasts'!"

The removed a cloth where nine young looking creatures stood in a row made of clay, lifeless yet seemingly alive. The first creature resembled a raccoon with a large tail that came out from behind it. The second resembled a tiger with two tails protruding from behind. The third looked like a large tortoise with three tails, and the fourth a large ape with four tails. The fifth and sixth appeared to be horselike and sluglike respectively with five and six defined tails protruding from behind. The seventh seemed to be an insect with one defined tail and six wings and the eighth appeared to be an octopuse with a bull head and build with eight octopus legs protruding from the bottom and two arms.

Finally the sage turned to Ishida whose creation lay concealed under a cloth still.

"And of your creation?" The sage asked

Ishida smiled and pulled the cloth revealing a small nine tailed fox kit with large ears and small paws.

The sage looked at the creation intently almost thinking it had already taken life and was about to open its eyes, "This one is special!" He said, "This one more than any of the others will change the face of the world as we know it!" Sage Namikaze said looking down the line of the tailed beasts.

"It is what I am hoping for!" Ishida said with a bow smiling malevolently to himself

"Now explain to me what I am to do with these creatures?" the Sage turned to the four

"First you have to give them actual physical bodies with blood and skin this is coming from nothing so you must use a spiritual creation first on them. Then you must breathe life into them and give their form movement through physical energy. After they have bodies and life then you must give them energy in the form of chakra. This is where you can permanently input the ten-tails chakra into these forms and each of us will add our power to the mix as a sign of peace to the nations." Aiko explained the process

"Then I know what I must do." Sage Namikaze said and had them place the creatures around himself in a circle. He put his fingers below his chin and allowed his chakra to build up eventually filling the room with a blue glow of his chakra.

"Yin realease Spiritual Creation!" he yelled and a blue fire started in his one hand as his eyes glowed brightly with the Rinnegan. The fire lept from his hand in all directions striking one after another the creatures. Fur grew and slime flowed as the physical bodies of the creatures were formed from nothing but the mere thought of the Sage. Finally each one had a body but no life.

"Yang Release Breath of Life!" Sage Namikaze yelled and a red fire started in his other hand. This fire wisped through the air in a smoke-like fashion snaking its way through the room as the Alchemists watched in wonder at the ancient art that was unfolding before their eyes. Soon they could hear each of the constructs as they started to breath slowly and fall to the ground with their eyes shut.

"Yin-Yang Release Infusion!" Was the last that the Sage of Six paths yelled and the room lit up in a black chakra that emanated from the Sage like a flowing fountain.

The sage walked to the first creature and filled it to capacity with chakra until he couldn't put any more into it. He then walked to the second touching it with his index finger and filling it to capacity with his chakra as the elemental Brothers followed suit each adding their power to whichever animals they helped to invent. Earth and wind for the one tail, Wind and water for the two tails, water and earth for the three tails, earth for the four tails, wind for the five tails, earth and water for the six tails, wind for the seven tails and water for the eight tails.

Finally the Sage of Six Paths walked to the Nine tails he still had a vast amount of chakra, more than what he'd been able to fill up in the other eight vessels combined. He put his finger to the head of the Nine-Tails and started to fill it with chakra. To his surprise he put more and more of the ten-tails chakra into the vessel and it still wasn't near full. As he emptied the last bit of Ten-tails chakra into the Nine tails Ishida unleashed a massive amount of elemental energy that latched on to the ten-tails energy and began to get pulled into the creature.

The fox kit with nine tails somehow managed to absorb that incredible amount of energy just reaching its capacity as the Elemental head of Fire dropped to the ground having placed all of his reserves of energy and quite a bit of his desire to crush the other elemental nations into the heart of the Nine-tailed beast.

The sage looked around and could see that they were alive and soon one by one from one to nine the tailed beasts opened their eyes.

Thanks for reading I know this has been a long chapter and I'm sorry if it was boring in any way but believe me when I say that the next chapter will be the last in the sequence of Kurama's origins. Hope everyone is enjoying it seeing as I haven't received one single review yet a few fav's. Remember, just a few clicks of a keyboard or mouse can tell me a lot about how well the story is going and if I should change it up a bit or not. Ultima S. Next Finale, Kurama Origins!


	12. Chapter 12

(Small content update near the very end)

"You're saying that Ishida poured his hate into Kurama at that point?" Sasuke asked

"It would be impossible seeing as every tailed beast had a healthy lust for destruction." Gaara said closing his eyes and remembering the one-tail

Aiko shook his head, "No he didn't put his hate and bloodlust into the Kyuubi at that time. As for the others…" The three looked at each other and put their heads down.

"Each of you infused the creatures with your own ambitions." Gaara said looking up at them

"We were still suffering from the war and wanted to ensure the survival of our people individually." Katashi explained looking down and moving some dirt with his foot.

"In the end we only made the beasts confused and angry." Yagami said

"And without the Sage there to guide them when he died, they ultimately led to the destruction of everything we held close." Aiko finished

**(Flashback to the room where the nine tailed beasts were gathered and eating)**

The door to the room opened and the Sage of Six-Paths entered into the room looking well for his age though quite frail.

"Gather here my children." He called to them and each of them circled around him as he looked down sadly, "Today my lovely wife Uzumaki Masuyo has departed this existence." He said as a tear fell from his eye, "It has made me realize that I won't be here much longer." He went up to each of the nine tailed beasts and called them by name, "Shukaku, Matatabi, Isobu, Son Gokuu, Kokuou, Saiken, Choumei, Gyuuki, Kurama. You will always be together even if you are separated and one day you will all become one, with different names and in different forms than you exist now, and unlike when you were within me you will be led down the right path, when the time comes for you to know what true power is." The Sage looked down and sighed as some of his creations began to shed tears and some tears welled up in his eyes as well, "…I feel that you will all be united with one of my descendents and when you do you must help him and lead him. I have taught you all the way of the Six-Paths a way of peace. You now represent that peace and must impart it to the world…" he said many other things to them that helped them to accept his passing.

From that time onward the nine tailed beasts never saw the Sage again and soon they noticed a new creation in the sky, a round orb that glowed when the sun went down and each looked up and shed a tear for their dear Sage.

That night the four Alchemists came to the nine tailed beasts to tell them of the Sage's passing and how he'd created a moon and sealed the body of the ten-tails within it.

"We are going to stay here for tonight and tomorrow we are going to reveal you to the world as harbingers of peace." Aiko said touching the side of Shukaku

That night all of the tailed beasts were in a deep slumber caused by the fatigue that mourning will bring. A shadow crept into the room, a shadow of a small boy with ghostly white hair. He approached the one tails and upon its chest used his finger to write a symbol, "Purotekuta" Protector. He then went to the two tails and wrote, "Fukushu-sha" Avenger. In each he infused a desire to protect and serve the nation of wind until he got to Kurama and put in him the desire to hate all other nations but the wind nation.

He left quietly and soon another larger shadow loomed across the wall as Katashi made his way into the room with the sleeping beasts. He followed the same pattern as Aiko giving the will to protect and serve the Earth nation to each of the tailed beasts and then giving Kurama the desire to hate all nations but the Earth nation.

Katashi ducked out just as Yagami entered and did the same as the first two giving his will to the beasts and all of his hate to the one that had received the most of the Ten-Tails power. He then left the room and soon a large red glow filled the room as Ishida entered. The animals had started to stir as haunting dreams formed from their now twisted consciousness. Ishida cared nothing for the others as he approached Kurama and made the symbol, "Kirai" Hate, emblazon on the chest of Kurama. He poured out his hatred for everything and everyone into the symbol which cased the Fox to writhe in pain and his mouth opened wide in a snarl as his claws grew long and his appearance became demonic.

"Kurama!" Ishida called as the Fox snarled down on the Alchemist, "Go… _DESTROY!" _

**(End of Flashback)**

All of the people in the room were looking down on the ground as the story came to a close and the fires slowly started to move again.

"All of you were to blame then!" Sakura said turning her head from them in anger

"Aye we were!" Katashi said looking away

"We were only looking out for ourselves and not the people we were supposed to lead, we cared nothing for peace and we recognize our mistakes now." Yagami said

"However Kurama has the hatred of everything inside of himself and more particularly he has _Ishida's_ hate which Ishida can call back to himself at will!" Aiko said

Everyone suddenly looked worried, "You mean that Ishida can control the Nine-Tails!?" Sasuke said in haste

The three shook their heads, "That's why we need to get there now!" Yagami said as they rushed outside

"I can't transport us within the Vortex but I can get us close!" Aiko said and made some hand signs, the world went white.

Meanwhile, Naruto is facing off against Ishida in full Nine-Tails form.

Ishida laughed, "Actually that is the reason I infused you with my 'chakra'. I don't _want_ to destroy you Kurama. I wan't _MY POWER!_"

Kurama looked confused at Ishida who made a few hand signs, "Demonic Technique, Jinchuriki Drain!"

A golden beam shot from Ishida and landed flat on the seal sign of Naruto's Kyuubi form.

"NARUTO!" Kurama shouted as his essence was ripped away from Naruto and pulled right out of Naruto's body in full form.

In front of Naruto stood the Nine-tailed Fox fully resurrected and standing without Naruto's body. His red fur and long tails surrounded the crater made of sand and fire. He was huge much larger than the village of Konoha even as his tails moved rapidly from place to place. His eyes were slit and red and his mouth large and black as chakra and elemental energy escaped with every breath.

"Naruto!" The demon fox called out trying to reach his host, "Don't die!"

"Demonic Control!" Ishida yelled and Kurama's eyes went blank as the golden tether encircled his neck and linked to the stomach of Ishida. Kurama stopped all motion as his nine tails fell to the ground as his fur just moved in the updraft caused by the circling flames.

"I CAN FEEL IT! THE POWER!" Ishida yelled as Naruto fell to the ground

"Kurama…I … I… I'm… sorry…" Naruto said softly as his eyes slowly shut

Thanks for reading guys I know some of you are wondering why I don't update my chapters regularly. Well I have a job that makes me work long hours for little pay so I don't usually have the time nor the energy to write a chapter sometimes and I'll wait till I do to write so they don't come out horribly, (though sometimes it seems like they all do.) Anyways continue to read and support. Ultima S. Next Naruto, Shinigami's Prisoner?!

P.S. Special thanks to Zero543 for helping me know more about my PPGZ story characters. It is good to have someone with that insight helping to make sure my fics are as close to the characters as possible.


	13. Chapter 13

The fiery vortex slowed to a stop and there stood the nine-tails latched with a golden tether to Ishida and Naruto fallen to the ground. It was this sight that the small group appeared from seemingly nowhere and stood in shock.

"NARUTO!" Sakura shouted and started to run towards him

Ishida saw her running and laughed. Suddenly Kurama jumped in front of her and let out a roar that flung her back like a leaf in a whirlwind. The roar knocked the group back off their feet everyone except for Gaara who stood there with his sand keeping him firm.

"You can't stand against me now, Brothers!" Ishida yelled with a demonic grin

Sakura pulled herself slowly to her feet and walked towards the fallen Naruto, "Naruto, Please get up!" she said tearfully as the nine-tails let out another roar. Sakura braced herself and stood against the torrent of chakra receiving numerous burns across her skin from the energy.

"Sakura!" Sasuke called out and rushed to her side as she was about to fall, "Sakura." He said softly as she sobbed into his vest.

(Flashbacks)

"One day I'm gonna be Hokage then everyone will look up to me believe it!" Naruto said pointing towards his headband

"I'm gonna bring Sasuke back! I promise."

"The worst pain is not having my friends in here!" Naruto said pointing with his thumb towards his heart

(End of Flashbacks)

"Naruto! You… You can't die!" She cried and pushed Sasuke away and started to walk slowly towards Naruto's motionless body

"Just give up already! He's dead and now you are going to risk your life to get to him!?" Ishida called out with a grin as the tails of Kurama whipped the ground causing the earth to quake.

"He… He would have done it for any one of us!"

(Flashbacks)

"I'm not gonna allow a single one of my friends to die!"

"Haku lived for you and now you're just gonna toss him aside, a broken tool! That's so wrong!" Naruto yelled at Zabuza as tears fell down his face.

"This is for Sasuke, because he also had a dream!" Naruto yelled readying his kunai to stab into Haku.

(end of Flashbacks)

"Very well!" Ishida said shrugging his shoulders, "Kurama!"

Kurama raised his long claws and brought them crashing down on top of Sakura who just slowly limped forward.

Suddenly Kurama was lifted from his stomach by a mountain that had started to grow underneath him. Ishida covered his head as Kurama ripped the stones to shreds with his massive claws.

"Giant Sand Whirlpool!" Gaara yelled in an echoing voice as the Nine-tails and Ishida began to sink into the sand.

The nine-tailed fox fought with the sand but was quickly brought up to his neck in the deepness of the Gaara's whirlpool. It gathered energy into its mouth as a large black ball formed in front of him.

Sakura walked behind the fighting Alchemists and Shinobi and knelt down next to Naruto and put her hand to the side of his face.

"I wish this were only a genjutsu like Kakashi Sensei used to put me under all the time. You remember? Back when we were still genin and just starting out as team seven. You were such a knucklehead falling for all the most obvious traps…"

An explosion lit the sky as another newly formed mountain shattered to pieces under the weight of a tailed beast ball. Sakura paid no attention.

(Flashbacks)

"Here!" Sasuke said holding out a box lunch to Naruto

"… Sasuke eats more than I do and besides I'm on a diet…" Sakura said holding her lunch up to Naruto who was squirming with the ropes that held him to the stump.

"Thank's Sakura…"

(End of Flashbacks)

"I still can't believe after all that you've done for this world, this is how you would die! NARUTO YOU CAN'T DIE!" She cried

Suddenly Naruto's finger moved just a little so small it was hardly noticeable to anyone but Sakura saw it.

"NARUTO!?" She said pulling him up to herself. She used her chakra and felt Naruto's chakra network. There was such little chakra moving through it but it was there Naruto was still alive!

"AIKO!" Sakura yelled across the battlefield to the white haired boy who was busy blinding the Nine-tails with a blast of a sandstorm.

He turned to Sakura and saw her motion to Naruto. He quickly released another blast of wind that knocked the nine-tails off its feet allowing Sasuke and the others to attack Ishida momentarily and rushed over to Sakura's side.

"We need to get him to a hospital, he's alive! But only just." She said

"We can't leave this village to die!" Aiko said

Just then the Kyuubi stood straight up and built up a huge tailed beast ball. Gaara braced himself for the impact as well as Katashi who was already forming a mountain in front of them. Just as Kurama was about to fire his bomb Ishida smiled and caused Kurama to turn and release his might on the Sand Village.

"NO!" Gaara yelled but it was too late as the ball was released and the Sand Village was decimated. There wasn't anything left. No house no valley walls no people just a crater smoking from the center.

Gaara fell to his knees with utter disbelief. His village, his family gone in an instant. Ishida laughed hard at the plight of Gaara.

"See how strong the fires of hate burn within you! Use it, it is my gift to you Gaara of the Desert it will make you strong and maybe one day you will finally know the power that only hate will give" Ishida yelled as Gaara sat there unmoving, arms fallen to the ground.

"You know you talk too much!" Came a voice behind Ishida who turned quickly to see a strange looking wooden creature with a barrelesque body. This body opened wide revealing a cavernous interior that Ishida was suddenly pulled into, "Iron Maiden!" the voice yelled and multiple slashes went around the body of the creature. Konkuro came up from the sand as his hand was stretched out and one could just barely see the chakra threads connecting him to this wooden creature.

"Konkuro!?" Gaara said monotonously as he looked up from the ground.

Konkuro smiled and winked at Gaara as Temari walked up to his side, "We saw that the village was in danger so we evacuated everyone on the inside. They're safe far away from here Gaara." She informed him.

"You both did well!" Gaara said allowing his mouth to upturn in a smile.

Suddenly crow lit on fire and Ishida burst the puppet apart with his elemental power.

"Face it Ishida you're outmatched for now!" Yagami yelled

Ishida looked around and the strength of the tether was quickly fading as his demon inside was quickly losing control of the Kyuubi.

"Very well! I concede for the moment but I will build up my strength and attach each and every country until there is nothing left but ashes!" Ishida yelled and a large flame circled from the ground upwards and when it disappeared so had the nine-tails and Ishida.

Everyone ran over to Naruto who lay there still unnoticeably alive.

"We have to get him to a hospital!" Sakura said quickly

"A hospital would be of no use to him!" Sasuke said shaking his head, "There is only one person in the world that can keep him alive now, Orochimaru!"

Aiko and Katashi shook their heads and started to make some hand signs.

"We will gather the people of the Sand Village and meet you at Konoha." Gaara said and Sasuke nodded

They disappeared in a flash of white and green light.

….

"Where am I?" Naruto said looking around a swirling nothingness.

He could hear a laugh from his side as he found himself sitting near a fire place and to the other side of him was a figure he recognized all too well.

"Jiraya!"

Thanks for reading everyone, I realize that the name I gave this chapter last time was slightly misleading but I guess there isn't much I can do about it now. I guess technically it was layed out that he _was_ dead so the title fits but in the end I can only say that since I write ad-lib on a line by line basis I really didn't expect for me to not write about Naruto's death experience. Other than that Thank you Crystallyrica for Following the story. Ultima S. Next, Old Friends Reunited!


	14. Chapter 14

"Let me out of here!" Kurama yelled as his claws scratched the wooden posts that held him captive

"Please Kurama, this wood has a very potent Jutsu that makes it indestructible so don't waste your energy!" Ishida said meditating in front of a fire.

Kurama became furious and built up his chakra to the crown of his head and slammed against the wood that caved and cracked under the immense power just barely holding together. Ishida quickly whirled around and made a few hand signs that caused a golden thread to appear and hold him down.

"It is true that your strength has multiplied an hundred fold since last I saw you." Ishida said

"You mean when you became Detashi's beast." Kurama said looking out the side of his eye at Ishida

"I WASN'T HIS BEAST!" Ishida yelled as the string became tighter around Kurama's neck, "Who is the one in control now!? I don't see Detashi here holding you prisoner!"

"What have you done with Detashi?" Kurama asked

Ishida laughed, "Demons. Always so easy to rile and provoke. The more I provoked him the angrier he became and the angrier he became the more powerful I became until I was able to completely absorb his pathetic body."

"There were many times that I started to overcome Naruto myself, feeding off his anger and fear at that time I thought that it made me strong. Strong enough to break the cursed seal that left me bound within him." Kurama said thinking back to the battle with pain where he'd almost broken out completely.

"Yes, the winds told me of your cooperation with the brat! And even now I can sense that you are devoid of hatred. Why, Why are you so powerful when you are not fueled by the flames of hatred?" Ishida asked using the strings to pull the giant creature hard against a wall as he entered the chamber.

Kurama chuckled, "I can see where I got my misguided thoughts that left me captive for so many years. Know this, there are flames that burn brighter than hate."

"What do you mean, Kurama? You were powerful before because of hate! Because of _my_ hatred." Ishida said with a sneer

Kurama shook his head and thought back to Naruto standing on his cheek, "You know… some day I'm gonna do something about all that hatred inside you too."

"Once I thought that hatred made me strong, I could manifest myself as Naruto's hatred grew eventually even receiving the ability to control his actions. However, now I realize that it wasn't me that was growing stronger because of his hate he was only growing weaker. When I almost overtook Naruto completely at the battle with pain all it took was a simple reassurance and I was immediately placed back into the cage that held me. It was then that I began to understand that simple things such as love and confidence can calm hatred no matter how powerful." Kurama said thinking back on the words that Naruto had said to Nagato

"Then… I will break the curse! If there's such a thing as Peace I'll find it. I won't give up." Naruto responded to Nagato's question.

"He was ready to kill his brother student but he let Love and Peace take hold and he became more powerful than before. No I am stronger now because I have accepted the hate that I've felt, Your hatred and I've replaced it. LOVE IS THE MOST POWERFUL FIRE THERE CAN BE!" Kurama yelled and Ishida caused a string to wrap around his mouth silencing the Nine-tails.

"It seems I have to retrain you in the subtleties of pure, unbiased, unyielding… hatred!" And a flame started beneath Kurama

…

"Pervy Sage! What are you doing here!" Naruto asked Jiraya

"Well I couldn't pass up the opportunity to speak with my star apprentice now could I?" Jiraya smiled and Naruto sat down next to him

"Well it seems that we'll have a lot more time to talk now that I'm dead huh?" Naruto said

Jiraya laughed, "I'd never thought I'd see the day when Naruto Uzumaki would let a little thing like death get him down!"

"What do you mean!" Naruto asked pointing to Jiraya, "You've been dead longer than I have! What's your excuse and why didn't you resurrect with the others!?"

"Well it's hard to explain but my body was in an irreparable place when my soul was sent to it at the end of the war. Nice going by the way convincing Obito to use the same Jutsu that Nagato used on the village with the ten-tails power it was able to revive almost everyone since the beginning and even some who died before the war." Jiraya smiled

Naruto smiled and put his hand behind his head

"Anyways the pressure at the bottom of the ocean had me crushed the moment I was resurrected so I'm still here."

"But that's not fair!" Naruto yelled

"Actually I'm kinda glad about it! From here I can see the marvelous person you've become. You've found the answer to my question and helped unite the Shinobi world. I'm proud of you Naruto." Jiraya said patting him on the back

"So what do we do now?" Naruto asked looking at the campfire before the two, "Kurama was taken from me and now I'm dead and there's an Alchemist bent on burning the world in fire and…"

"Whoa, Slow down Naruto. I've found that when you look at things so cluttered in life it's hard to put your foot where it needs to go. Now for the first problem, your not dead!" Jiraya said

"WHAT DO YA MEAN I'M NOT DEAD I'M HERE AREN'T I!?" Naruto yelled

"Do you know why a Jinchuriki dies when his tailed beast is removed?" Jiraya asked

"Huh? No not really." Naruto responded turning to the flames

"The body and soul of the tailed beast and his host are inseparably connected through the vast amounts of chakra that flow and mix in both. When the tailed beast is removed the body suffers from a tremendous drop in chakra causing the human part to die as the beast part only loses a small amount of chakra that the human part held. This drop in chakra causes the body to go into a state of shock as it tries desperately to build up its chakra to normal before it exhausts itself." Jiraya explained

"What does that have to do with the fact that I'm not dead?" Naruto asked

"Well you're body already possessed a large amount of chakra to begin with and, though it entered still into a deathlike state of shock, your body has just enough chakra to prevent death but not for long. I guess it's a good thing that your friends know how to keep you alive huh?" Jiraya said as the smoke from the flames opened up and Naruto could see Sakura and Sasuke carrying him and occasionally feeding him chakra.

"Alright Sakura! I knew she'd figure out something!"

"Naruto," Jiraya interrupted, "When there is enough chakra flowing through you, you will step from this world to that one and we won't be able to talk again but there is something I wanted to let you know before you left."

"What is it Pervy Sage?"

"Know that no matter what the outcome is, I firmly believe in you as my student. I will always be proud of you and when the time comes I'll be waiting for you and you can share your story with me face to face." Jiraya said and slowly started to fade

"Master Jiraya!" Naruto called out as his hand slipped through the faded existence of his mentor.

"Naruto I have one last request before I leave," Jiraya said

"What is it? I'll do anything!"

"Do you think you could do that sexy jutsu one more time?" Jiraya said as his face turned red

"WHAT!?" Naruto yelled

Thanks for reading today's installment and thanks to the hundreds of people daily that manage to read this story before it disappears behind pages of others. Ultima S. next, Refugees to the Leaf!


	15. Chapter 15

"Quick this way!" Dossu commanded as Sakura and Sasuke ran into the Otokage's headquarters. Once again Aiko and Katashi remained outside and started to tend to Yagami's wounds.

"What is the meaning of this?" Orochimaru stood up angrily and then saw Naruto being carried by Sakura who had tears in her eyes

"Please Lord Orochimaru, it's Naruto… he won't make it without your help." Sakura pleaded

Orochimaru stood there for a moment and then leaned back and shrugged his shoulders, "Tell me why should I help the most powerful ninja from another Village. It's not good for us politically… I'm sure you know what I mean."

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR STUPID POLITICS!" Sasuke yelled baring his eternal Mongekyo Sharingan.

Orochimaru got an annoyed look on his face, "Know that if you take me down here Naruto _will_ die!"

Sasuke released the sharingan and stood there looking at the ground while Sakura's tears hit the ground in a steady patting sound. Suddenly he dropped to his knees, "I'm begging you, as a representative of the Leaf."

Orochimaru smiled his crooked grin, "If I do this for you then the leaf will owe the sound Village a favor of equal magnitude." He said looking at Sasuke who was kneeling on the ground.

"Whatever the will of the Sound is at that time the Leaf Village owes you one favor." Sasuke said not looking up.

"Perfect!" Orochimaru said and called for Jugo

In came the tall orange haired Jugo who had accompanied Sasuke on his mission for revenge against Itachi. After the war Sasuke had Jugo go with Orochimaru to help him set up Otogakure and double as a spy for the Leaf but as of yet Orochimaru hadn't found out.

"Bring the boy to the lab!" Orochimaru ordered and Dossu led Sakura down the lightened hallway into a large room with a cement slab in the middle and medical equipment surrounding the walls. There Jugo was laid on a separate cement slab and wires and tubes were injected into both of them. A line of purple-blue chakra filled the tubes. Jugo turned his physical appearance into that of a creature with huge tube releases out his back and this chakra that was going through the tubes amplified an hundred fold.

The chakra flowed through a variety of tubes and machines of all different sizes as Sakura and Sasuke watched. Finally it started to trickle down to Naruto, a little bit at first but then increasing and increasing until a torrent of chakra was flowing to Naruto.

Naruto slowly started to move his fingers as his breathing started up again. Sakura looked on in hope waiting for any sign of consciousness to appear. Naruto's face wrinkled a little bit before he opened his eyes. As the room slowly gained perspective he could see Sakura and Sasuke standing off at the base of his slab.

"Sa.. Sakura!" He managed to utter

"NARUTO!" Sakura yelled and ran over to him and gave him a hug

Naruto winced in pain as she did and Sasuke just let out a sigh of relief.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet!" Orochimaru said to the side

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked

"Look at Jugo."

Sasuke turned to the man who was slowly getting smaller and looked younger and younger.

"To give Naruto's body all the strength it needs to survive Jugo is using a massive amount of natural energy. If it continues like this there won't be any Jugo left… and Naruto will die soon after." Orochimaru explained

"Not if I can help it!" Naruto said slowly pulling himself up and sitting cross-legged on the side of the table. He sat motionless for a while until the line of chakra leading to Naruto reversed course and fed back into Jugo who regained his original stature.

Naruto's eyes turned yellow around the outside and he opened them to reveal narrowed pupils as he'd entered sage mode.

"In this mode I can take most of the natural energy around me and keep my body alive." He said

"Wow Naruto did you come up with that yourself?" Sakura asked

Naruto smiled and rubbed his neck, "Well me and the Pervy Sage!"

"What, You mean Master Jiraya!?" Sakura said in disbelief

"Well yeah! I was dead too ya know."

"The question is how long until we need to feed you more of Jugo's chakra?" Sasuke said butting in

"I've got that taken care of!" Naruto said putting his hand into a cross, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" suddenly two more Naruto's appeared and immediately both sat cross legged on the slab and stopped moving. "My Sage Mode chakra only lasts for five minutes and during that time I can have two shadow clones building up chakra so as long as every five minutes I use release one shadow clone and make another I should be okay until we get Kurama back!" Naruto said and looked around, "Speaking of which where _is_ Kurama?"

Sakura turned to the side, "Ishida put him under a special Jutsu. He's gone." Sakura said

"What!? But Kurama's too powerful for that!" Naruto said

"Unfortunately it's true." Sasuke confirmed

Naruto stared at the ground thinking on Kurama, "We'll just have to get him back!" He said confidently

"But how?" Sakura asked

"I don't know yet but I bet Old Grandma Hokage at the village will have an idea." Naruto said and turned to Orochimaru, "Thank you Orochimaru!"

"Please. I wasn't doing it for you boy I was doing it for the sake of my village." Orochimaru smiled and shrugged his shoulders turning one eye to Sasuke who nodded.

"We'd better hurry to the village, the sand village Shinobi will be there soon." Sakura said

"Sand village?" Naruto said

"We'll explain on the way!" Sasuke said

They travelled to the leaf through the trees as Sakura and Sasuke explained all that had happened since Naruto had died and Naruto explained his experience with Jiraya.

They approached the village just as a horde of Sand ninja were entering through the gates with Gaara floating above them.

"Gaara!" Naruto yelled

Gaara looked down and could see Naruto and quickly floated towards him, "Naruto. It's good to see you on your feet." He said happily, or so Naruto guessed as his voice remained one-toned

"Well thanks to all of your quick thinking I was able to enter sage mode so my body has all the chakra it needs." He smiled

"I suppose Sasuke and Sakura informed you of our dilemma." Gaara said looking to them where Sasuke nodded in affirmation, "Then I suppose it's time to tell you the bad news."

"Bad news! I didn't know there could be _worse_ news than what we went through!" Sakura said

"It's about Kurama." Gaara responded, "He's destroyed the Village Hidden in the Stones."

"Yeah but Kurama's been forced under a Jutsu that controls him!" Naruto responded worriedly

"I would agree except there wasn't anyone nearby controlling him. It seemed more like one of his old rampages." Gaara said shaking his head

Naruto looked shocked, "What about Uncle B and the Raikage?"

As if in response Naruto heard a familiar voice behind him, "Naruto Fool ya' fool, we was relaxin' and meditatin' when the nine-tails came a hatin', so we left ta find relief an' arrived at the Hidden Leaf! Fool ya' fool!"

"Uncle B!" Naruto said and to the side the Raikage arrived

"Naruto I'm afraid what Gaara has informed you is true, the nine-tails came and destroyed my village and no one was controlling him!" The raikage said clenching his fists

"The only problem is that with the two major villages on that side gone we're next!" came the voice of Kakashi's methodical voice from the side

"What are we going to do then?" Sakura asked as Aiko and the others finally arrived, Yagami looking good as new.

"We're going to prepare ourselves… for war!... again!"

Thanks for reading everyone I know the action has been downplayed through the last couple chapters but once again there is going to be a lot in the next one. Special thanks to, Refia's Chocobo Knight for her four F's (Fav the story, Fav the Author, Follow the Story and Follow the Author) it is good to see that kind of support and thanks to Kage Kurai for the first review for this story and for following and faving the story as well. I want to affirm something to everyone about the last line here, it is not another Shinobi alliance war, war here is used in the figurative sense of a large battle but not a full scale war just in case someone decides to troll saying, "there's already been a war think up something new… etc." Anyways see you in the next chapter, Ultima S. Konoha Under Attack!


	16. Chapter 16

There was a dull roar in the streets of Konoha as Lady Hokage looked out from the building at the center of the village to the masses of refugees from the Sand and the Stone that now flooded the streets.

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune called from the door, "Naruto is here to see y…"

"Hey Grandma Hokage!" Naruto burst in as he normally did

"Naruto! I heard about your separation from Kurama are you alright?" She quickly turned and asked Naruto

"I'm Ok for now but we need to find a way to reseal Kurama or I'm gonna have to stay in Sage mode for a long time!" Naruto responded and Tsunade saw the distinctive traits of the Sage mode.

"Naruto how could you let that _beast _out of you?!" came a grumpy old voice from behind

Naruto turned to see the tsuchikage hovering in midair.

"Oh hey gramps, that reminds me I've got a cool new Jutsu to show you later. Anyway's Grandma Hokage…" Naruto said only half paying attention

"I ASKED YOU A QUESTION BOY AND WHEN ONOKI OF BOTH SCALES ASKES A QUESTION YOU…(crack)" Suddenly Onoki dropped to the ground holding his back, "Ouch!" He complained as Tsunade went over to mend him.

"Tsuchikage I am sure it is about time for you to think of getting a successor." Tsunade said hitting his back back into place

The Tsuchikage got up and started to hover again, "Impossible as I said before I am still strong enough to lead the village single handed."

"If that's the case what are ya doing here!?" Naruto said non-chalantly with his hands behind his neck

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Onoki yelled with clenched fists

"We don't have time for this!" Tsunade yelled at both of them, "Kurama is coming here and we need to find a way to protect the village!"

"That's what I came to see you about!" Naruto said turning to the Hokage, "I have an Idea on how to protect the entire village!"

"Well Naruto we're listening!"

….

A large group of Shinobi found themselves along the outer wall of the Hidden Leaf most from the Stone village and many from the Sand and a few from the Sound village under Orochimaru's orders.

Just moments before Shikaku and Shikamaru had tested and proven the effectiveness of Naruto's plan.

"To think Naruto coming up with such a strategy, he's getting better every day!" Shikamaru thought to himself

HQ was set up at the Hokage's headquarters with a sensing sphere and a communications array. Since the battle was to be so close they didn't need special sensory type ninja to communicate orders, everything could be relayed to anyone on the front lines without much chakra use.

They had received news that the nine-tails was seen near the Grass Village as the Shinobi took their positions. The sensing sphere suddenly branched off in a separate sphere altogether that was approaching the main sphere.

Shikaku walked over to Ino who took place beside her father in the communications array, "Connect me with the border." He commanded and she nodded placing her hand on his head

"Alright everyone the whole plan has been brought out before you. You know what to do! Nobody but Naruto, Team Seven and the Alchemists are allowed outside the three-pronged barrier. Should anyone be caught outside or leaving their position it will be considered an act of treason and they will be dealt with accordingly. This is not a war for the very existence of Shinobi, this is a war to protect our Villages and our families so don't lose hope and put your faith in Naruto! Now First defense put up your barrier."

The stone village Shinobi nodded their heads and made several hand signs before hitting the ground with their open palms. A large thick wall appeared around them growing higher and higher leaving just the tops of the mountains visible from the outside.

"Now for the Sand erect your barrier!" Shikaku ordered

The sand ninja stood at the very edge of the earth barrier and made several hand signs before slapping their hands together and creating a wall of wind similar to the wind blades that Baki had used before his invasion on the hidden leaf. Gaara himself came in front of the wall of wind and placed a wall of sand that he partially solidified as high as the earth and wind barriers surrounding the entire village.

"Now for the sound!" Shikaku said

The sound village ninja made several hand signs and put their hands out straight in front of them. A purple wall erected itself surrounding the village and blocking off the one entrance into the village from the outside as Naruto and his group waited on the outside.

On top of the stone wall stood several ninja from the Hyuuga clan each waiting for their orders before releasing the byakugan and keeping guard.

"Naruto's barrier is quite a sight!" Sakura thought to herself looking at the way it was set up, "The first layer is the most powerful giving excellent defense against the more powerful Jutsu's that will be being used. Followed by a softer barrier that can cushion attacks that make it through the first barrier. The wall of wind will help stop any ground attacks that could easily push over the stone wall and any attacks that could split the ground would also be stopped at that point. Finally the stone wall puts a layer of bedrock between us and the village preventing any attack that was strong enough to get through the first few barriers from getting through to the village. And having the Hyuuga clan detecting the direction of the attacks so that chakra isn't needlessly distributed throughout the entire barrier but only on the parts that are going to be hit! Truly genius Naruto!" she said to herself and looked forward as a foul stench of malignant chakra was on the wind.

The earth shook and the sky turned a blood red at Tsunade summoned Katsuyu on standby. The earthquake continued increasing in intensity until it stopped completely and not a sound was to be heard.

Suddenly a huge boulder the size of a small mountain, smashed against the side of the barrier. Luckily the byakugan users were able to detect it and that point was strengthened before the strike. It shattered into small pieces that fell to the ground below and in the distance the small group could see the dust build-up from where the stone was thrown. Aiko quickly used a strong current to blow the large rocks that were falling on them from above as Kurama's head finally showed itself from the dust.

Naruto stepped ahead of the group as Kurama built up a dense ball of chakra in the form of a tailed beast bomb.

"Kurama don't!" Naruto yelled out but Kurama released the ball which exploded on the side of the barrier. The barrier contorted with the blast but the barrier of sand behind it kept it solid as casters of the barrier were able to focus their chakra at the point of impact preventing the blast from getting through.

"I see you had time to prepare!" Ishida yelled down to the village from on top of Kurama seeing Naruto and getting a shocked expression, "How are you still living boy!?" Ishida yelled

"You've taken my friend and I won't die while he's still under your control. That's a promise!" Naruto said turning his thumb towards himself, "And I always keep my word!"

Ishida's pupils shrunk as he thought back on what Kurama had told him, "Know this, there are flames that burn brighter than hate."

"If you think that you can stop Kurama as he is now you are more foolish than I anticipated Naruto!" Ishida yelled shaking himself from his daydream, "Kurama bring down that barrier!"

Kurama barred his teeth and lunged forward striking the side of the barrier hard with his head just as he had before with the cage at Ishida's hideout. The barrier buckled hard but remained intact. Kurama prepared to do it again but this time Naruto jumped up and knocked Kurama back with a single powerful punch.

"Kurama why are you doing this!? He's not controlling you now!" Naruto yelled

"Shut up! I'll kill you all!" Kurama yelled and attacked Naruto as Ishida fell to the ground from his head and came face to face with his brothers.

"Ishida! I told you that power was not for you brother!" Yagami yelled

"Stop calling me brother!" Ishida yelled through clenched teeth as the battle between Naruto and Kurama produced a small earthquake, "It is your fault I'm like this! A slave to a demon!"

Each of them looked shocked, "You don't mean!?"

"When one becomes a demon each of us must follow him!" Ishida said with a sinister smile

"It was never our intention! Why did you absorb the demon Detashi in the first place!?" Yagami yelled with clenched fists realizing the severity of the situation.

"Pride makes one think they're indestructible but in the end…" Ishida looked to the side, "But enough talk I am commanded to kill you three so let's get this over with!"

Aiko and Katashi bared their katana's but were quickly stopped by Yagami who put his arm out to the side.

Sakura had hit the ground hard causing Kurama to fall into a small crevice as Sasuke attacked with an extended chidori blade that just barely cut below the chakra filled skin of the nine-tails.

"This is my fight!" Yagami said ignoring the tumult in the background and turning to Ishida, "It is sad that our journey ends here brother! I had always hoped that we'd return to the heavens together!" Yagami said

"Shut up!" Ishida interjected, "If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be here!"

"Sadly I know my error brother. And now I must end everything that I have started, forgive me for needing to kill you!" Yagami said as a tear dropped down

Ishida hesitated for a moment and then shook his head, "I'm sorry too! _You_ are the one going to die here today!" And he lunged forward to attack.

Thanks for reading everyone and a special thanks to graffiti421 for faving the story. I certainly hope that the story isn't boring everyone as I work hard to get it as accurate to the Naruto series as I can with flashbacks and highly informative segments etc. Anyways if so it can't be helped. Ultima S. Next, Yagami and Ishida a Brother's Pledge!


	17. Chapter 17

Naruto slammed against Kurama sending the fox backwards hard. As the fox was flying Sasuke used a long chidori blade to slice its back and Sakura slammed hard on the stomach of Kurama sending him flying down in a heap.

"Aren't you worried about him Naruto?" Sakura asked over the sound of the earthquake the impact caused

"Believe me Kurama can take a lot worse!" Naruto said, "We just need to stall him until Shikamaru can find a way to seal him back in me!"

There was a feeling of thickness in the air as small blue and black bubbles formed from nowhere.

"That's not good!" Sasuke said as Kurama's head cleared the cloud of dust and had floating just inches from his mouth a large ball of dense chakra. Sasuke quickly jumped up and as Sakura was following suit she stumble as something had her leg.

Sakura looked down and saw a small strand of red chakra wrapped around her leg holding her fast. _I can't move!_ She told herself frantically. She remembered how Ino had used a similar trick when they'd battled in the Chunin exams. And Kurama let loose the attack.

Sakura watched in horror as the tops of the trees were engulfed by the power of the bomb and how the rocks just disintegrated at its touch. _This is it! Naruto, Sasuke protect the village!_ She said in her mind.

The ball hit hard and exploded on contact and Naruto looked on in horror as did the barrier nin and Hinata and Neji who were in charge of viewing that particular direction.

"Heh! Serves him right!" Neji said closing his eyes with a smile for just a moment

"Neji!" Hinata said quietly

Sakura looked around and saw the earth on either side of her disintegrated and smoking but she somehow remained untouched she turned and saw the reason.

"SASUKE!" She yelled

Sasuke had just managed to get between the ball and Sakura using Susanoo and a large chidori blade. The Susanoo was destroyed even in full armor it stood for a matter of milliseconds. The chidori blade was effective in splitting the ball but at a deep cost as Sasuke fell to the ground clutching his shoulder to an arm that was no longer there.

"Sasuke why!?" Sakura yelled but Sasuke just fell forward and passed out, "Naruto I need to get…"

"Don't worry about me take care of Sasuke!" Naruto yelled

Sakura nodded her head and grabbed Sasuke, retreating back to the village.

_Almost time for another shadow clone! _Naruto said to himself and quickly stopped on the ground.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He shouted and another him was formed and immediately sat down and started to gather Sage Chakra.

"Alpha team go!" Shikaku ordered and a group of four ninja jumped through the barrier and surrounded the clone. They made a few hand signs and slammed their hands on the ground. A clear self-reparing barrier formed around the small group.

"Neji… HO!... Do you think it's wise having Naruto fight by himself?... HO!" Hinata asked

"Naruto is able to fend for himself Lady Hinata… HO!" Neji responded

"But I'm worried about him!" Hinata said quietly, "HO!"

"Hinata he is… HO!... LADY HINATA!" Neji yelled watching Hinata run along the top of the top of the barriers and gentle fist her way through to the battlefield.

"I can't let him fight alone!" Hinata yelled as the barrier closed up again

_Stupid girl!_ Neji thought to himself, "HO!" _now I have to cover for her sector too._

Hinata began to run towards the battle as Ishida was staring at Yagami, "That pitiful girl!" Ishida said seeing her running.

"Your battle is here!" Yagami said quickly swinging his katana which Ishida countered causing a small shockwave.

"How does she hope to win against Kurama. I can sense her energy, it's pathetic!" Ishida said with a grin

"Keep your mind on the fight!" Yagami said angrily slamming down hard with his katana but Ishida just jumped back easily as the ground shattered under the wight.

"What makes her think she can do any good?" He asked looking her way and seeing her enter the fight.

"Hinata!" Naruto yelled, "What are you doing here!? Get back to the village!"

Hinata shook her head and Naruto landed right in front of her, "Hinata this is no time for games Kurama doesn't know what he's doi…" Suddenly Hinata pushed Naruto to the side and she jumped to the other as one of Kurama's tails slammed down right where they were standing.

The tail removed itself and Hinata looked at Naruto, "Naruto you can't keep shouldering the weight of the village by yourself!" She said standing up, "I've had to watch as you single handedly defeated pain and defeated Obito and Madara and the ten-tails, I've had to watch as the village stood behind and had you fight its battles for itself. It's time the village started to help you Naruto." She said as her head faced the ground

"But Hinata I…" Naruto started

"No Naruto!" She yelled which took everyone off guard even HQ, "This world needs Naruto Uzumaki and the Village needs its next Hokage so no matter what… I pledge myself to defending you!" she said as her twin lion fists activated

"A noble sentiment!" Kurama yelled, "Too bad it'll be your LAST!" And his hand came crashing down on Hinata.

"Now look at her with all her bravery she is to die with that will in her heart!" Ishida said as his Katana met with Yagami's and they glared at each other through crossed blades

Just as Kurama's hand was inches from slamming Hinata, she quickly hit the heel of his wrist causing the hand to fly inches forward and missing her and Naruto together.

"Impossible! Such a pathetic girl she shouldn't even be able to move a hair on Kurama let alone throw off his attack! How can she be so pathetic and yet… so powerful!?" Ishida said

"She can because a different flame burns within her!" Yagami yelled

Ishida's eyes grew narrow as he remembered Kurama's words, "There are flames that burn brighter than hate!... LOVE IS THE MOST POWERFUL FIRE THERE CAN BE!"

Ishida quickly struck through the blade of Yagami sending it flying through the air and embedded itself in the ground.

"How?" Ishida said glaring down at Yagami

"Hinata but how did you…!?" Naruto started

"I pledged myself to protecting you and I will die if I must to keep my word!" Hinata responded

Ishida's pupils shrank as he looked on a younger version of himself, "I pledged myself to protecting you and I'll die if I must to keep my pledge!"

(Flashback to Ishida and Yagami's youth)

A young boy with blue skin sat along a river bank every once and a while letting out a sob as he caused the water to ruffle and spatter like a boiling pot.

"Hey!" Came a voice behind him and he whipped around having the water form a jagged set of teeth behind him as he confronted the owner of the voice.

"Calm down I'm not here to fight." Came the cool response of a red-haired boy who put his hands behind his neck.

"Who are you!?" The blue skinned boy asked not letting down his guard

The red haired boy just smiled and suddenly a bright flame formed behind the blue skinned boy and quickly evaporated all the water.

"What the!?" The boy said turning to see his water completely dissipated.

"My name's Ishida!" The red-haired boy said extending his hand

"You're from the Fire aren't you?" the blue skinned boy asked

Ishida didn't respond but stood there with his hand out.

"I am called Yagami of the Water!" He said but smacked the hand out of the way

"Well you're very rude Yagami of the Water!" Ishida said walking to the side of the river, "What were you crying about?"

"Your country just killed my parents and family!" Yagami yelled as the river started to boil again

Ishida laughed.

"WHAT'S SO FUNNY!" Yagami yelled punching the kid to the ground

"Nothing! It's just that your nation killed my parents and family long ago!" Ishida said rubbing his cheek

Yagami just stood and blinked looking at a kid who seemed wholly unaffected by the death of his family, "You must not have cared about them very much!" Yagami shrugged

Suddenly Yagami was on the ground rubbing his cheek as Ishida stood there with clenched fists.

"I still think about them!" Ishida said hiding his eyes with his fiery hair, "Every day hearing their screams for mercy!"

"Then how are you like this?" Yagami asked

"I decided that their memory was worth living for! It's helped me overcome the loss."

Yagami just looked at the red haired boy and back on his family that he'd just recently lost, _their memory!_?

"Listen to me Yagami," Ishida said, "there are few things more powerful than love in this world, you need to find someone or something precious to you and fight for it! Keep fighting until there isn't anything left and if it so happens that whatever or whoever you're fighting for dies then continue to fight for them for their memory in this there is true power!"

"You remember our pledge!" Yagami's voice carried over Ishida's memories

Suddenly it was years later and Ishida and Yagami had been training hard against each other.

"Good Yagami now unleash your inner powers!" Ishida yelled as a torrent of water came out of Yagami's chest in the form of an "X" and flew straight for Ishida

Ishida put out his hand and a dart of fire pierced through the center of the torrent and burned Yagami at the center.

"Close but not quite!" Ishida said with a smile

Suddenly a snake of water wrapped itself around Ishida and pulled him to the ground. Ishida looked up and saw Yagami's blade just inches from his nose. Ishida smiled, "Very good."

They sat on the river bank and ate an afternoon lunch and watched the clouds roll by. "Ishida…" Yagami said quietly looking into the river

Ishida turned towards Yagami, "Yeah!"

"Would you consider us… friends?" Yagami asked slightly embarrassed

"Friends!?" Ishida said with a funny look, "No way!"

Yagami slowly nodded and turned back to the river watching its steady progression.

"Nah! By now we're more like brothers!" Ishida said with a smile putting his arms behind his neck.

Yagami looked at him then smiled, "Alright Brothers then! And if we're brothers then let's make a pledge right here right now that no matter what we'll protect each other, from our own nations if needs be!"

Ishida laughed again, "Your one goofy kid!... Fine it's a pledge between brothers!" He said and they shook hands and smiled

Yagami's voice once again overshadowed the memory, "Remember that it wasn't soon after that we needed to keep that promise!"

The memory advanced a few years and Ishida and Yagami were on a battlefield fighting the opposing nation and not realizing that the other was on the opposing side.

"We're getting slaughtered here!" Yagami heard one of the troops yell and he turned his part of the platoon to go and assist them.

"General Ishida!" One of Ishida's troops yelled and he looked to see Yagami coming with his troops

_Yagami's here!_ He said to himself, _I can't let __**my**__ people die!_

Suddenly a mountain formed from the center of the battlefield as Katashi's regiment poured into the battle. The Fire managed to capture many of the Water's and Earth's highest officers including Yagami.

That night Ishida went to the prisoner's cells and went quietly to Yagami's cage.

"Ishida!" Yagami said relieved, "Ishida you need to help me!" He said grabbing hold of his brother's arm

Ishida turned to the side in shame and Yagami understood why.

"I understand brother!" Yagami said and sat back in his cage

"If you weren't already the head of the Water I'd be able to free you brother and no one would pay any mind at all but…" Ishida knelt down eye level with Yagami

"I understand brother," Yagami repeated, "When is it to be done?"

"Tomorrow morning just as the sun rises." Ishida said turning from his brother

There was a long silence, "Brother! I forgive you." Yagami said

"Forgive me?" Ishida asked

"Yes, for not being able to keep our pledge. I relieve you of it now!" Yagami said with a tear in his eye

Ishida looked at his brother and started to cry openly, "I NEVER ASKED FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS!" he yelled but Ishida just closed his eyes and turned to the side, "FINE! JUST DIE!" Ishida yelled and ran from the tent.

The next day all of Ishida's Nation's army was there as Yagami was brought to the stand for a mockery of a trial. Ishida tried to defend his brother but received nothing but "boo's" and hisses from the crowd.

"I sentence you to Death… By FIRE!" The Judge yelled out to the praise of the entire army.

The firing squad lined up and Yagami was put into position by Ishida who just looked at his brother with tears in his eyes.

"Don't worry about me brother! Worry for yourself and what you have to look forward to in the future!" Yagami said.

Ishida stood off to the side as the squad built up their elemental energy into their fingertips almost ready to discharge. They took aim at Yagami's heart.

"READY!" came the shout and Ishida's heart dropped

"AIM!" Came the next sound as Yagami turned his head to the side.

… the time seemed forever until Ishida heard the final note, "FIRE!"

Yagami waited for the blast but nothing ever came and he slowly opened his eyes to see Ishida standing there with a large hole where his shoulder should be.

"Ishida! Why?"

"I pledge myself to protecting you and I'll die if I must to keep my pledge!" Ishida said turning with a smile

"TREASON!" Came the shout from the crowd but Ishida released Yagami and turned towards his army.

"I think it's time for some new management around here! Don't you… brother?"

"Aye!"

(End of Flashback)

"You once had that kind of power!" Yagami said as a line of water retrieved his Katana

Ishida fell to the ground holding his head, "Brother!... forgive me!" Ishida grabbed his sword and turned it towards himself, "I cannot continue to be this demon!"

Suddenly a shout came from the opposing battlefield, "HINATA LOOK OUT!"

Hinata was in the middle of the eight trigrams 64 palms and as she twirled to continue Kurama's sharp claws had moved to stab her.

Suddenly Hinata found herself on the ground and a spattering of blood hit her in the face. She looked up and gasped as Kurama's nail had completely impaled Naruto right through the chest.

Thanks for reading this exceptionally long chapter and hopefully things remain interesting for you all. Remember it doesn't take much for a review every once and a while so far Kage Kurai seems to be doing most of that and any comments or questions can be pm'd to me directly. Ultima S. The Ultimate Sealing a Brother's Pact!


	18. Chapter 18

Hinata looked and prayed to herself that it was just one of Naruto's shadow clones and that any minute it would disappear and Naruto would jump up from nowhere to fight Kurama. But the longer he stood there the more she realized it wasn't going to happen. Blood dripped from the end of the fox's long fingernail and from around Naruto's mouth each pattering made Hinata's heart stop.

Kurama looked down at Naruto, "Foolish boy it is obvious that she is far weaker than you why sacrifice yourself when I'll just kill her next!?"

"I was so happy,…(cough)…, when you and I finally began seeing eye to eye. The one creature on earth who knew me as well as I knew myself…(cough)…. Finally I had someone, someone who could be with me everywhere and finally… finally I would never be alone anymore. Kurama please, please break whoever's hold it is and return to yourself. I don't want to have to walk alone again!" Naruto pleaded as tears poured down his eyes.

Kurama's eyes suddenly went from hard and cold to soft and he closed his eyes, "Naruto!" He said apologetically

"It's nice to see ya back!" Naruto said weakly and coughed up some blood

Kurama started to release some chakra into the wound but it was doing very little to help he knew that only a few minutes would see the final passing of Naruto.

"Naruto… Why… Why would you defend me like that? You're more important to the village than me…"

"That's enough Hinata!" Naruto said as firmly as he could muster, "Everyone is important in the village…"

"BUT YOU'RE IMPORTANT TO ME!" Hinata yelled shaking her head

Naruto stood in silence for a bit, "You know when you kissed me at the gate when I left for the sand it made me… (cough)… It made me start to think. I thought hard, and I recalled all the bad things that happened to me in the village, I was never popular at the academy and I was worse than average at everything but I couldn't recall a single insult, not one from you Hinata!"

Hinata turned to the side and blushed

"All the other kids would laugh at me when I screwed up and push me down but you, you always seemed to believe in me. When I fought pain you were the only one to step in when I was pinned down, you risked your life against the ten-tails all for me! Hinata…(cough)… I protected you… not because of the village but… because you were important… to me!"

Hinata started to cry and she hugged Naruto as blood poured across her jacket.

"I can't heal him completely unless we are sealed together again!" Kurama said

"Ho… how are we going to do that!?" Hinata cried

"I don't know…", Kurama said shaking his head, "I don't know."

"Brother look!" Yagami said pointing to what happened and halting Ishida's blade and looked at Naruto and Hinata and Kurama, "Maybe brother our lives can be better spent!"

"But, are you sure brother!?" Ishida said as the tears on his face started to dry a little

"I can't think of a better end for us dear brother!" Yagami smiled and extended his hand.

Ishida rose to his feet and wiped his eyes and smiled. They both walked over to Aiko and Katashi and handed over their Katana's.

"NO! YAGAMI, ISHIDA PLEASE!" Aiko cried but both shook their heads

Yagami knelt on one knee and put his hand on the Aiko's head, "Little Aiko you know it is necessary! We have lived long and full lives we've seen the world and seen it change it is time to give that gift to another as we complete our journeys here."

"Katashi!" Ishida said, "Look over brother Aiko don't let him repeat my mistake. I hope that you can forgive me my brother for the wrongs I have done."

"There must be another way!" Katashi said holding Aiko's shoulders

"No, I would rather be a free spirit than a captive demon!" Ishida responded

"And besides our life force will live on just within Naruto this time!" Yagami said

Katashi stood for a little bit and then nodded.

"NO I WON'T LET YOU!" Aiko sobbed

Katashi made a few hand signs and the earth came up and surrounded him stopping all movements and motions.

"Don't worry I'll keep him brothers!" Katashi said and the two nodded and walked over to Naruto.

"Are you sure about this Yagami?" Ishida asked

"I am brother! Consider it the ultimate fulfilling of our pledge we give our lives to protect our friends."

As they approached Naruto weakly looked them in the eyes.

"Naruto I am sorry I have put this upon you!" Ishida said, "If I had more time I would like to get to know you better… maybe someday. Now I must set right the wrongs which I have caused. Please be an harbinger of peace to this land even with all that is coming your way!"

"Wha… What do you mean?" Naruto asked

They both stood to either side of Naruto and Kurama and built up their energy to the point where the rocks started to levitate off the ground. Then they started

"Tori, I, Inu, Tatsu, Ushi, Tora, Mi, Ne, Uma, Saru, U, Hitsuji…"

"It uses every type of hand seal in sequence!" Hinata said quietly to herself

"Tori, I, Inu, Tatsu, Ushi, Tora, Mi, Ne, Uma, Saru, U, Hitsuji…"

_Do you think they'll remember us brother?_ Yagami asked himself as his hand's went through the seals again

"Tori, I, Inu, Tatsu, Ushi, Tora, Mi, Ne, Uma, Saru, U, Hitsuji…"

_I know they will brother after all you are Yagami of the Water and I Ishida of the Fire! _Ishida responded as his body started to become transparent

"What's going on?" Hinata asked

"Tori, I, Inu, Tatsu, Ushi, Tora, Mi, Ne, Uma, Saru, U, Hitsuji…"

Suddenly Kurama started to glow brightly and his body took a golden form and became transparent with seals running up and down the length of his body and tails. His body started to get sucked into Naruto's where the nail was at first and soon Naruto himself was glowing with that same golden chakra and he quickly turned into his chakra mode form.

"Tori, I, Inu, Tatsu, Ushi, Tora, Mi, Ne, Uma, Saru, U, Hitsuji!"

Came the final shout of Yagami and Ishida who then clapped their hands together and turned completely into red and blue light. This light swirled in the air and struck Naruto in the stomach causing him to return to normal and special seals formed down his arms from his shoulders and down his back. They stayed for a little moment and then disappeared like the seal on Naruto's stomach.

A separate portion of the light spun around and struck Hinata right in the stomach causing her to receive an intricate pattern going down her arm which slowly disappeared as well.

Naruto spun around for a few moments and fell to the ground unconscious as Hinata fell to her knees and took him up resting his head on her arms. The hole in his chest had completely closed up and he seemed to be breathing which made Hinata sigh in relief.

"BORTHERS NOOOO!" Aiko yelled crying hard as a gust of wind rent the stones that held him captive as he ran over to Naruto!

Hinata watched the boy cry for a while and became aware that Katashi was standing to the other side of her.

"What happened?" Hinata asked

"It is an ancient technique taught to us from the Sage of Six Paths," Katashi said closing his eyes and feeling the breeze as it caused his beard to sway in the wind, "It involves two sacrifices who willingly give their lives to seal two things together. Their life force becomes the strength of the seal taking it completely off the shoulders of those that were sealed. It is the ultimate sealing technique that makes it impossible to every separate the two again no matter in life or in death. I think Naruto and Kurama would be happier that way and so will Yagami and Ishida." Katashi said looking at Aiko who had stopped to listen.

Aiko nodded slightly and let a few more tears fall before standing up and wiping his eyes.

"And what is this about?" Hinata asked showing them part of her arm where the intricate seal had displayed itself again.

Katashi and Aiko both looked astonished at the seal, "But that means…"

"Now this _is_ an interesting turn of events!" Came an echoing voice through the air

"What is that? Who's There!?" Katashi called stepping in front of the group

"Do you feel that Katashi?" Aiko asked

"Aye the air just dropped colder than yomi!" Katashi said as the small group started to shiver including Naruto who was still unconscious.

Suddenly from the ground appeared a large head with grey and white markings that Hinata recognized from her days of battling Pain and Obito.

"When you speak of it,… It shall appear!"

Thanks for reading folks it took me a while as I was trying hard to get the reactions correct for this kind of situation and though I still feel that it isn't quite accurate enough I can't keep holding it off so I guess this might be a chapter that I'll update later when I get the feeling about their reactions and how it should go. Ultima S. next, A Demon Scorned!

PS Thank you DaMastah101, Mayo15, and Dragonfox123 for supporting the story and the author it is always appreciated.


	19. Chapter 19

The giant construct opened wide its mouth and the group could see the inside of the head. Flames rising up and blackened bodies, souls, grasping to try and escape from the mouth. Suddenly what looked like a smaller version of the creature stood on top of the souls and walked out from the mouth. The creature then closed its mouth and disappeared from view.

The thing that walked out had on white and grey robes with long hanging sleeves that hung just centimeters from the ground. The man walked forward and stopped just a few meters from Naruto and Hinata as Katashi and Aiko drew their Katana's.

"Who are you?" Katashi asked wearily

"And here I thought you knew who I was all along after all,… you did call me by name!" The strange looking creature said turning towards Katashi.

Katashi's eyes grew wide and he rushed forward with his stone like katana bared and glowing. He slammed it into the creature only to realize it was no longer there.

"Tsk, tsk, Katashi I would have thought that you would know better than that, well that'll teach me not to overestimate my opponents now won't it." The voice echoed through the air as Katashi spun around trying to find the creature again.

Suddenly some golden thread wrapped itself around Katashi and pulled him hard into a tree pinning his arms and forcing him to drop his Katana.

"KATASHI!" Aiko yelled and ran to him

"Never mind me boy protect the other two!" Katashi yelled and Aiko turned to see the creature standing over Naruto and Hinata.

Hinata looked up into the creatures eyes with pure fright, she was far too weak to do anything right now and he bent over and grabbed Naruto and pulled him away from her.

"NARUTO!" Hinata yelled being unable to move

"Heh! So you are the one who cost me my pet and servant!" The creature said looking the unconscious Naruto over, "I don't see what's so precious about you all in all you seem rather ordinary!" He said and threw Naruto hard on the ground causing an indent where he landed.

As the smoke cleared the creature looked to where Naruto should have been and he'd disappeared.

"Huh?" the creature said and looked around

He saw Naruto in the hands of a young man with a mushroom like head and the largest eyebrows he'd ever seen.

"Naruto you will be safe here with Hinata, I will face this new opponent!" Rock Lee said turning his back hand towards the creature.

"I'm surprised you can even see me through those eyebrows of yours kid!" The creature laughed

"You may laugh now but wait till you see my incredible taijutsu and then we will see who has the final laugh!" Lee said and suddenly he disappeared

The creature turned to the left and then to the right and suddenly Lee appeared in front of him and gave him a massive upward kick. Instead of flying, however, this creature just slid backwards from the point of impact slowly catching himself and holding himself up.

"I don't get it! He should have been sent flying by Lee's kick!" Kakashi's voice came and Hinata turned and issued a sigh of relief as the copy ninja bared his sharingan.

"Kakashi! I thought…" Hinata started

"As soon as the threat of the nine-tails ended the ban on leaving the barrier was lifted as well. You might have a bit of explaining to do." Kakashi turned and smiled at Hinata who blushed

"You won't get that one to fly off the ground!" Katashi yelled from his tree, "He's bound to the earth!"

"We know what to do with that kind of opponent don't we Lee!" Guy yelled jumping down next to his student.

"Indeed Guy Sensei if he is bound to the ground then we must put him back where he belongs!" Lee answered dutifully

"I didn't think thicker brows were even possible!" The creature laughed again

Lee's fists clenched tighter, "Don't you make fun of Guy Sensei!" Lee yelled and quickly disappeared along with Guy.

The creature looked around and suddenly Guy and Lee both appeared just above his head, "TWIN LION'S STOMP!" they both yelled and slammed down on the shoulders of the creature.

As the dust settled they looked around and didn't see any trace of the creature and soon the golden threads that held Katashi disappeared and he fell to the ground with large burning lines caused from the threads all along his arms and body.

"We did it Guy Sensei!" Lee shouted in triumph

"I wish that were true." Katashi said shaking his head

Kakashi looked over the landscape with his sharingan and suddenly he was pierced with a long sword with a silver blade and golden hilt being held by the creature.

"Kakashi!" Everyone looked in panick as Kakashi started to fall

There was a puff of smoke and a small log fell to the ground, "Substitution!" Hinata said thankfully as the creature looked around.

Kakashi made his appearance behind the robed individual and quickly thrust his lightning blade forward. The creature dodged as Kakashi expected and appeared a little farther down from the group.

"Well I can't say as this hasn't been fun!" The creature said and the construct that brought him to the world once again appeared and opened its maw, "Unfortunately it is time for me to leave."

"Wait!" Kakashi yelled and the creature turned, "Who are you?! And what do you want with Naruto!?"

The creature stood there for a moment, "Do you really think that you could rob me and go unpunished!?" The creature yelled a lot angrier than he had sounded before

"How have we robbed you?" Kakashi asked

"Please! Do you think that you can rob Hell of its souls! That boy and the wretched rinnegan! I am here to reclaim the souls stolen from me from that boy!" the creature grabbed the base of its head and lifted up its face to reveal a tanned human face with blood red eyes and blond hair tied up in a ponytail cut short, "As for who I am you may ask Katashi. He knows me well!" The man said and walked into the open mouth where blackened arms grabbed the base of his robes as the mouth shut tight and disappeared.

Kakashi turned to Katashi, "Who was that!?"

"I will explain later but for now you need to get Naruto and Hinata to a hospital and quickly!" Katashi said out of breath

Hinata looked around and suddenly an intense pain shot through her body and her world went black.

Thanks for reading today it has been a long day and this chapter has been slow in progressing with the addition of the new characters so forgive the wait. Ultima S. next, Questions!


	20. Chapter 20

They rushed to the hospital at the center of the Leaf as the Barriers around the outside of the village were all released except for the earthen barrier which remained untouched by the ferocious battle.

Lady Tsunade was there waiting for the incoming patients, "Get them to surgery rooms A and B and Shizune"

"Yes Milady?"

"Take care of Hinata I'll deal directly with Naruto!" She finished, "You there!" She called to Katashi, "What am I looking for?"

"Their internal organs will start to shut down you need to keep them alive until the seals take full form on their arms!" Katashi yelled back

_Seals? On their arms?! _Tsunade said to herself then nodded and turned into the surgery rooms.

"About how long is this going to take?" Kakashi asked methodically

"It will be about two hours." Aiko responed, "If they survive that is."

"Well I hope you don't think of me as being rude but you two have quite a few questions to answer." Kakashi said

They looked at each other and nodded and followed Kakashi to a small room in the side of the hospital as they went they passed a room where Sakura was still tending to Sasuke's wound and seemed to be so enwrapped that she didn't even notice the three pass. Katashi and Aiko once again looked at each other and nodded as they entered the small Medical Ninja academy training room and he closed the door.

Kakashi leaned against the chalk board and the other two sat in the rows that led up the back of the room where the ninja would sit and learn their Jutsus, "So first things first what are the symbols that appeared on the arms of Hinata and Naruto?"

The two alchemists started to fidgit a little but in the end Aiko began to speak, "They have been chosen by Ishida and Yagami!"

"Chosen for what?"

"To be the next two elementals!" Katashi finished

"What do you mean?"

"The elemental nations are governed by the most powerful elemental at the time one that is referred to as an alchemist. The successor to the alchemist is the one that is either named by the current alchemist or is one that has defeated the current one. These seals were made during a time of war and strife in our nations where each day even our strongest of elementals were massacred daily. We worried that one day someone from the opposing nation might defeat our alchemist by way of luck so we created a system that would prevent any one nation from having control over more than one element." Katashi began to explain

Both Katashi and Aiko removed the sleeves from their uniforms and Kakashi saw similar seals as were on Naruto and Hinata going down their arms, "What system?" he asked

Aiko again responded, "These seals are conferred on the one that succeeded the previous alchemist. Normally the one that was chosen by their predecessor to lead their nation but sometimes on the one who defeated their predecessor. This seal…" Aiko said pointing to the multiple spiral at the top of the arm, "Seals the power of the predecessor within the successor and allows everyone in the nation to recognize them as the leader and most powerful among them. This seal…" Aiko said pointing to the intricate waves of lines that flowed down the arm to the wrist, "This one is what kills. If ever someone from another nation killed our Alchemist this seal at the bottom would shut down his internal organs by overloading them with elemental energy. It was designed to start as soon as it was placed on an elemental other than the seal's native population thus protecting our Alchemist and our elemental power."

"I see so the seal would kill anyone from an opposing nation that was unlucky enough to win it." Kakashi said closing his eyes, "And why do you think that Yagami and Ishida would have bestowed such a curse on Hinata and Naruto?" Kakashi asked

"Of that we're not sure but I believe that they both believed that Naruto and Hinata would find a way to overcome this dilemma and after all Tsunade's talents are known far and wide so they must've believed them capable of surmounting the curse. But if they do they will know power far beyond that of any Shinobi in existence and Naruto, far beyond that of even the sage of Six Paths." Katashi said

_Far beyond even the sage himself!_ Kakashi thought in shock, "So why did you tell Tsunade that they would be like that for only two hours?" Kakashi finally asked

"It is because that is when the third part of the seal activates." Katashi responded pointing to a circle that surrounded the double spiral on his arm, "It is an immortality sphere seal."

"Immortality!?" Kakashi almost jumped over the desk

"Aye, it protects them from any kind of natural death at all. No old age, no sickness, no organ failure only death through battle or some other unnatural invention." Katashi responded

"So that is how you knew the sage of Six Paths!" Kakashi said leaning back up against the chalk board and folding his arms in front of him

"By the time he came around each of us were the leaders of our own nations and already had the seals placed on us." Aiko responded

"It looks like this seal not only prevents death from old age but also from aging itself." Kakashi said looking at Aiko who just nodded

"So does that mean that Naruto and Hinata are now the Alchemists of Fire and Water?"

"Aye that is exactly what it means but as well they are also the rightful leaders of these nations though," Aiko and Katashi looked sadly to the ground, "Though there isn't anyone left in these nations but us now."

"Tell me why is that?" Kakashi asked

"The answer to that is with the man that you were fighting earlier." Katashi said suddenly looking down as he realized what he said

"Now tell me who that man _was_ that we were fighting earlier."

Aiko turned to Katashi as Katashi just looked at the desk in front of himself picking at something with his finger.

"Aiko do you know?" Kakashi asked turning to the boy

"I've never seen him before." Aiko responded

"At least not that you can remember!" Katashi said quietly from the side of the room

"So what do you know about him?" Kakashi asked

"More than I ought to. His name is Yomi!"

Kakashi's eyes grew small and a look of shock appeared on his face. Soon it turned more to a look of anger and frustration.

"What's going on? Who's Yomi!?" Aiko said looking at both of them confused

"Tell me everything!" Kakashi demanded

"Do I have to in front of the kid?" Katashi asked

"I'm sure he's old enough. Now tell me of your dealings with Yomi?"

"Who's Yomi?!" Aiko asked getting very irritated

"Yomi is his name also translated… as Hell!" Aiko received a look of shock, "He is the Demon King and Lord of Death!"

Thanks for reading everyone and this is the last day for views and what not with only a few more to go until I beat last month's record any small degree will help. Anyways today's chapter was more about the seals I know but hopefully it was interesting enough. Ultima S. next, Katashi's Oversight the Fall of Four Nations.

PS. forgot to mention that this immortality seal will play a key role later but Naruto and Hinata will not remain immortal that would be outside the Naruto character as I interpret it so just pay attention it will all be explained later.


	21. Chapter 21

"But I thought that Shirigami was the Lord of death!?" Aiko said

"He's more like the Lord of the dying but in the end even he must answer to Yomi." Katashi explained

"How am I to remember him? I've never even met him, I think I would remember someone like that!" Aiko said

"It was part of the curse." Katashi said looking to the side

"What curse?" Kakashi asked methodically still with an irritated look in his eyes

"It would be easier if I just told you all from the beginning what happened and how my folly… caused the death of millions." Katashi said clenching his fists, "It began soon after the Tailed beasts went crazy. I say soon but it was more like a couple hundred years and our nations held festivals where we could show our strength by fighting the beasts in combat…"

(Flashback to Katashi in a small room behind a desk with narrow windows and the fading beams of sunset just making its way in.)

The door at the end of the office swung open, "Lord Katashi!" A small man with a pudgy face entered and stood at attention.

"At ease!" Katashi said not taking the time to even look up

"Lord Katashi the other nations are starting to arrive, Ishida and the Fire have come from the desert and are already awaiting entrance at the edges of the city. News has come of the other nations Aiko and the Wind are about a day away and Yagami and the Water are about half a day."

Katashi didn't look up from what he was doing and continued to work much to the dismay of the attendant who just stood there nervously waiting a response to the news.

"Uh… Sir!?" The attendant finally said

"Any news of which beast the water has brought this year?" Katashi said not looking up

"It's the three tails sir!"

"Ah Isobu!" Katashi said looking up finally towards the ceiling as the golden rays of twilight danced across his face, "You know I made Isobu's shell of a hard diamond-like material they'll find it difficult to take him down. Tell me, how are our endeavors to capture the eight tales for next year's festival?"

The attendant got a slight look of shock then shook his head and answered, "We almost had it but Kurama came and destroyed the encampment. Many were lucky enough to escape with only minor injuries but a small group were killed in action."

Katashi slammed down on his desk with his fist, "That animal! Always interfering with everything, he will need to be taken care of as was the ten-tails. All well but that will be for a different time, go and let my brothers enter!"

The nation of Earth's Capital was located within the side of a mountain where the people had built their homes into the huge columns of stone that extended from the ceiling to the floor. It was dark all the time and the people enjoyed the artificial light that kept the city bright 24 hours a day. The outside of the city opening was protected with three walls that surrounded the mountain with a gate in the front and a hidden gate in the back. Furthermore the opening of the cave was located near the summit of the mountain and the nation of Earth had been built in several tiers which were built into the various layers of mountain rock. The bottommost layer was an arena which was large enough to sit the population of 2 nations from wall to wall comfortably and was used to hold this annual spectacle.

The attendant quickly left and soon the city was alive with elementals of different nations. Through the endeavors of Katashi, Ishida, Yagami and Aiko there was no longer any war to cause hate between the nations. Everyone was singing and dancing and the merchants were all selling their wares as each nation entered and added to the noise and festivities of the area.

The roads were packed and Katashi found it hard to go anywhere without hearing the banter of the oncoming contest. Everyone seemed to have a take even the children were betting on which nation would win the prize and go home with a king's ransom to help build their nation for the upcoming year.

It had been a long time since the Earth Nation had won the contest and many were saying that it was cursed from ever winning again but Katashi had made a special exception in the rules for this year and decided to enter himself as the main combatant. He was sure he was going to win against any of the other nations finest warriors since he was one of only four who knew how to use elemental powers since the treaty was signed. Now everyone used chakra and followed the way of the Shinobi, however each of them still favored their elementalism over the other nations. Earth would use earth style attacks and Fire would use fire and so on. Katashi knew this and was prepared to win at any cost.

As the Water came close to the gates Katashi could hear the dreadful cry of the three tails in the distance. He jumped to the far outer wall to take a look down the mountain and see the giant cage that the three tails was kept in. It had become larger since Katashi had last seen it and it seemed like its shell was even harder than he remembered as it had taken a strong earth-like appearance and no longer gleamed with the lucid diamond type shell that Katashi had imbued it with.

As it entered the gate the crowd cheered so loudly that it shook the streets as children huddled close to their parents and the people in general began to throw rocks at the giant beast.

"Where am I to put the offering this year brother!" Came the level voice of Yagami from in front of the group and everyone grouped in around them.

"Bring it immediately to the arena we will keep it there until the time for the contest!" Katashi yelled

As the Water brought it into the arena Katashi met with his brothers and invited them to his home for supper. His house was built overlooking the arena and were quite darkened compared to his command post where he spent most of his time but as soon as he entered the lights flared on to an elegant living situation with a great hall for dining and a large bedroom at the top of spiral stairs. This was where Katashi called home.

"Now my Brother's we feast and on the morrow we'll start the trials." Katashi said and immediately a group of servants exited the kitchen with platter upon platter of food for the group. Each sat down with their respective attendants and started to eat.

"What of that Uchiha and Senju dispute that is going on what do you make of it brothers?" Katashi asked

"It is turning bitter brother," Yagami said, "I am afraid that war will soon break out amongst the two and some of the outlying clans may be pulled into it as well."

"That will not be good for us brothers." Aiko said looking around the table.

"Don't you worry yourself brother's we'll talk of such things after the contest on the morrow." Ishida said

"So tell me," Katashi said biting into a leg of pork, "Who do you expect to fight for your nations in the contest?"

"Well…" Aiko started to say

"We were thinking of entering ourselves!" Yagami finished looking at Katashi from across folded hands

Katashi nearly choked on his food as he used his chalice to wash down what was left, "But I thought…"

"Come come now Katashi!" Ishida interjected with a sinister smile, "You didn't think that we would allow you to enter yourself and not put ourselves up for consideration did you?"

"Well I…" Katashi started

"Of course if you don't approve our consideration then I guess we don't have to…" Aiko said

"Well it's not that it's just…" Katashi began to say again

"Of course it has been a long time since last we measured our strengths against each other in battle and it might be good to remind our people why we fight so hard to maintain peace." Yagami said

Katashi sat there for a moment thinking on the possibilities, "Why not!" He said with a smile though on the inside he was furious.

"Excellent it will be good to test our metal again brothers!" Ishida said taking a sip from his chalice

That night Katashi couldn't sleep. He knew that the three tails was nearly indestructible from the outside unless one was strong enough to break through its shell which none of his brothers had that kind of physical strength and most of their elemental prowess was for dealing damage across a large plain and not individuals. These gave him the advantage but he was still unsure, he wanted to prove at any cost that the Earth Nation was not cursed and more than anything he wanted to prove its power.

He walked his quiet halls and noticed the attendants of his brothers vigilantly standing guard at the entrances to their quarters as he walked through. None of them turned or even acknowledged him as was expected as he slowly walked to his study.

_Ah my study the one place where the cares of the world seem to melt as I engage in my books!_ Katashi said to himself as he looked on the picture of the Alchemist whom he'd succeeded, _Riku of Earth, thank you for this wonderful study filled with the knowledge of our nations through the ages. It wasn't hard to build the city around such a well structured library my mentor!_

Katashi sat in his chair and looked at the picture, "What do you want me to do?" He asked his old mentor's painting, "Is it you that has placed this curse upon me? I didn't want to kill you but I most certainly didn't want to die myself!" Katashi said angrily to it, "Don't judge me Riku, I'm sure you would've done the same had I been in your shoes!"

The painting didn't budge as it most certainly shouldn't have and stared down at the desk of Katashi as though in silent mocking of his current dilemma.

"I SAID DON'T JUDGE ME!" Katashi yelled and picked up his desk and threw it at the painting. The painting and the wall behind it crumbled to the ground as Katashi looked around the corner to see who might've heard the noise but no one stirred at all.

Katashi started to pick up the stones and found the torn eye of his mentor among the rubble. He picked it up and to his surprise it had form. He pulled it out and found that it was actually made from a painted rock that had a hairline seam in it and a seal that made it impossible for anyone but the leader of the Earth nation to open it.

"To imagine this painting remaining here for hundreds of years and no one ever being the wiser to the secrets it held!" Katashi opened the small sphere and found just a small bit of fluid inside.

He swirled the fluid around a little and it seemed like syrup more than anything. He started to walk over to his desk and tripped on one of the stones on the floor causing the small container to fall headlong on a piece of paper that was on his desk.

"Crimanitlay that hurt!" he said holding his foot and suddenly he heard a noise coming from his desk and he slowly rose and looked at where he'd spilt the substance.

The substance had thinned out and had started to write in the Earth's own hidden dialect and Katashi watched as the message unfolded one of the last of his old mentor Riku.

"Journal,  
This war drags on and I fear that even Katashi my beloved student is beginning to feel the weight of death on his shoulders. It is much for anyone to bear let alone one such as he who fears death itself. I feel that I should relate something from my youth something that I have tried so many years to forget but has left such a lasting impression on me that it is impossible.  
It happened as I was travelling through the valley at the end of the Ir mountains. I happened upon a small tunnel that led deep underground I followed this tunnel until I came upon a door with obscure markings and I took to copying these markings into a page of my journal that I will place with this page, but I found I could not destroy it. As I was thus writing fate would have it that I pricked my finger on the tip of my writing implement and a small drop of blood found its way onto the very symbol that I had just drawn.  
Smoke began to issue forth from the page and soon before me stood a tall dark man with light hair who's name he told me was Yomi! Yomi is an earth demon bound to it since the creation from the Almighty. His power was frightening and he caused the mountain itself to be ripped up from the ground upon which it stood so that the sun shone on myself, Yomi and the seal on the wall which I had taken to marking down.  
Yomi told me that for freeing him from the seal that kept him bound in the earth he would grant me one wish. I told him that my one desire was to see that my beloved student Katashi would not have to suffer death as it feared him so. Yomi then nodded his head and disappeared and told me that I should watch myself from that moment on. Though I understand not what his intention was as of yet Katashi has not changed in his fear and I pray every day for the demon to keep his word.  
I have decided to seal up this entry and leave it for any future leaders of my great nation to ponder and beware. The Demon's power is great above that of every nation combined even beyond that of the wretched ten-tails but it is a treacherous creature, no one should make a deal with a demon…"

The next page that the ink slithered on to became a seal with a circle and flames along the outer rim and intricate markings within the center.

"A demon sealed to the earth?" Katashi said holding tight the page in his hands, "Alas a trump card to use. To show every nation that the Earth is not to be trifled with!" Katashi said out loud and put the paper into his coat. _And a surefire way of winning that contest tomorrow!_ He smirked and went back to his room and fell asleep.

Thanks for reading I know this wasn't an action packed chapter but the next one should be better. I would've posted it sooner but we have so many thunder storms lately that it is hard to keep the computer plugged in long enough to do so. Ultima S. next, Winning the Contest but Losing the War!


	22. Chapter 22

The next day pomp and privilege filled the arena as the attendees who could afford to paid their way into the spectacle did so and the arena was packed to the top.

At the sides of the arena were pedestals where stood sixteen people skilled in barriers to form a clear self-replicating barrier so that the dangers of the arena stayed in the arena. There were broadcasting stations throughout the land so that everyone could see and enjoy the fights that were to take place.

People crowded around these broadcasting stations like moths to a flame as the combatants readied themselves to go up against the three tails. They were to take turns starting with the Fire, then going to the Water, then the Wind, then the Earth in the event that each nation won their battle against the three tails a system of points was developed where style, power, technique and number of hits was taken into account and a winner would be decided by the maximum number of points they would have at the end.

The three tails was brought into the arena and released and it immediately went on a rampage hitting the barriers with Tailed-beast bombs and causing the ground to shake but the barriers held firm and the crowds cheered for the spectacle.

"I don't like doing this." Aiko said putting on the traditional armor of his people as his brothers were doing the same.

"Don't worry Aiko as soon as we're done we'll let it loose back to ravage the landscape once more." Ishida said with a smirk

"It's just a joke to you isn't it!" Yagami said looking angrily at Ishida, "While your Nation is safe in the desert we here need to worry about the constant threat of attack from these beasts!"

"Yagami calm yourself! I was merely telling young Aiko that we would not hold the animal longer than our festival as the rules stipulate. Rules that you yourself agreed to!" Ishida said with a wave of his hand

"If I had known the trouble these beasts would cause I never would've agreed to such rules!" Yagami insisted

"Brothers let's calm ourselves we're here to fight a beast not ourselves!" Katashi said

Everyone then calmed and finished preparing as the fanfare started to play. Everyone looked where the spotlight pointed as Ishida donned his final piece of armor and walked out to the arena. Everyone cheered and the three tails just looked on at the newcomer waiting to see what would happen.

Ishida moved first letting a line of fire originate from his arm through the ground and striking the three tails hard in the face but the flames did nothing to it. The three tails lunged forward and crashed on top of Ishida but Ishida had moved quickly behind it and caused a fire-spout to appear beneath the three tails causing it to fly backwards onto its back. Ishida jumped high in the air and slammed down with a fiery fist onto the beast's stomach but it still did no good.

"Heh! You're a little tougher than I thought!" Ishida said with a smirk and started to make a few elemental hand signs.

Suddenly a bright light emanated from the dome and a loud explosion could be heard. The barrier itself was almost destroyed and smoke filled the fighting area. When the smoke cleared the three tails was knocked out on its back and Ishida was on one knee panting from the amount of energy he needed to use the attack. The crowd lit up in roars of excitement as a medical unit came down and administered to the wounds of the beast. Ishida slowly walked into the back room and sat down next to his brothers.

"Ishida! Was that?" Yagami started

"It was! Atomic Blast!" Ishida smiled

"And what about the fall out?" Yagami asked angrily

"Don't worry I didn't unleash a true atomic blast! It was an explosion that had the same power but was not made by the splitting of atoms just a lot of energy!" Ishida said and lay down on the bench

It was an hour before the three tails was back up to energy to fight and Yagami entered the ring. The first move this time was made by the three tails as it unleashed a massive tailed beast bomb. Yagami caused a large sphere of condensed water to appear before him. The bomb became entrapped within it and slowly dissipated. Then the sphere branched out in a whip and slammed down on the beast causing it to fly sideways into the barrier.

"How'd he do that!?" Aiko asked, "The water barely touched the beast!"

"It's Yagami's Osmosis. It takes the energy from the attack and absorbs it into every molecule of water causing even glancing blows to receive the full might of the enemy's own attack!" Ishida answered

As the battle continued Katashi started to lose hope in winning by his normal attacks as the shell of the beast was made from his hardest materials and now seemed to be even harder than before. Though the beast could be knocked out it wasn't scratched anywhere on the shell. Even Ishida's Atom blast was unable to penetrate it. He reached in his coat and pulled out his small summoning paper and held it tight his trump card.

Soon Yagami entered also fatigued from the battle and lay down on another bench to the side. "It is a powerful attack brothers but the more power it absorbs the harder it is to maintain and control."

Aiko entered the field thirdly and walked right out into the center. He didn't want to be there abusing the creature that he knew he himself had played a hand in corrupting.

"I don't want you to feel the pain of repeated defeats my friend!" He said softly as the beast looked down at him, "So I will end this quickly and painlessly!" Aiko made a few hand signs, "Vacuum Space!" He yelled and a swirling vortex surrounded the beast. Soon ever particle of air was pulled to the outside as the rocks and the dust slammed hard against the sides of the barrier. The three-tails continued to try and attack but it was unable to breathe and slowly its eyes rolled up in the back of its head and Aiko released the attack as the three tails lay unconscious on the ground. The crowd went wild as this was the first time that anyone had ever managed to fall a tailed beast in one blow.

"That was amazing!" Katashi said looking at the fallen beast

"That is how Aiko became the Alchemist of wind at such a young age his natural powers and strength far exceed that of any one of us alone!" Ishida smiled, "It's too bad he's so gentle otherwise he could be an enemy to be feared. He just cares too much!"

Aiko walked in not having broken a sweat and turned to Katashi, "Do well my brother!"

Katashi entered the arena where the medical crew had just revived the three-tails. _I won't be beaten by a child!_ He said to himself and immediately withdrew his scroll.

He bit his finger and a drop of blood fell on the page causing an issuance of smoke that filled the arena and soon it cleared and a tall man with dark skin and blond hair stood staring at Katashi.

"And who might you be? Oh wait! I know you. You're Katashi, Riku's precious student aren't you?" Yomi said

"How do you know me?" Katashi asked

"First things first why have you summoned me here?" Yomi asked

"I… I wish to win this contest so that no-one will make fun of the Earth Nation again!" Katashi said balling a fist

"Hmm! I see. Very well!" Yomi smiled and snapped his fingers

From the ground large red circles opened and demons came pouring out into the arena, the demons grabbed the three tails and pulled it up throught the mountain and out of sight then dropped it so that it fell over a mile and slammed into the ground. Knocking it unconscious and cracking the shell slightly.

"Good, Good! Thank you demon!" Katashi said looking at the fallen beast

"Ah ah ah!" Yomi said wagging his finger, "Now I need my payment!"

"Payment what payment?" Katashi said getting slightly nervous

"Oh, not much I think they should do!" He said pointing into the crowd

"Who?"

"All of them!" Yomi laughed and demons issued out of the ground like water and pulled the panicking crowd into the fiery depths

"DEMON!" Katashi yelled and pulled out his diamond Katana, "IF YOU THINK I'LL LET YOU TAKE MY PEOPLE…" Katashi started

"Oh, not just you're people, anyone who's ever made fun of the Earth Nation! As per your request!" Yomi laughed

"I didn't mean like this!" Katashi yelled

"Well they say the road to Yomi is paved with good intentions!" Yomi laughed at his own quip

"BROTHER!" Came a shout from the side and Katashi turned to see the other's being pulled down into the earth. He ran over to them but missed as the holes closed up over his brothers.

"YOMI!" Katashi yelled and turned to see Yomi walking into the mouth of a head that was in the ground. Katashi rushed to him but the head disappeared leaving Katashi alone in his city of no-one.

Thanks for reading I know this story arc is kind of long but the next one should be the last and maybe even a little more of what's happening to Naruto and the others anyways enjoy, Ultima S. Next, The Cursed Rinnegan!


	23. Chapter 23

"You destroyed four nations for a contest!?" Kakashi said in utter disgust

Katashi had tears pouring down his face, "I didn't know… I just didn't know… I…"

All this time Aiko was looking straight down at the desk in front of him not making a sound nor a movement even his breathing had slowed to almost a near stop.

"Aiko I'm so sorry, brother!" Katashi sobbed

Suddenly Aiko was at Katashi's throat with his katana as a rush of wind shattered the room into shards and Kakashi found himself under the open sky.

"Don't you DARE call me brother again! You're trash in my eyes now!" Aiko said with hate in his voice and glowing eyes and aura giving him a generally evil countenance.

"Aiko! Please calm yourself!" Kakashi yelled as Aiko's katana left a small slit in Katashi's throat.

….

"What was that?!" One of the medical Nin asked looking around

"MIND ON YOUR WORK!" Tsunade yelled

_If the village is under attack Kakashi and the other ninja will have to deal with it right now I need to keep my mind on Naruto!_

One of the medical nin started to faint, "Quick replace him we need Naruto's lungs to keep moving for half an hour more!"

….

"Aiko we still need just a little more information!" Kakashi said trying to calm the situation

"What else do we need from this scum!" Aiko said

"We still need to know how you three managed to get away from Yomi and back to the real world!" Kakashi responded

Aiko stood there for a moment with his sword still at Katashi's throat and Katashi leaned back and shaking from fright. Slowly Aiko put down his Katana and returned to the ruined seat and just sat there and once again didn't move.

"Now Katashi why don't you tell this young man how it is that he returned and not the rest of his nation!" Kakashi encouraged

Katashi sat there crying with his head in his hands and continued through his sobs, "After Yomi took everyone I wandered the world alone for a while…"

(Flashback to Katashi looking ragged slowly lumbering on a path)

"Everyone! Everyone's gone!" Katashi said his tears had all dried up from years of crying and his eyes had a permanent red coloring around them.

"What's the matter!?" Asked a voice from the woods

Katashi slowly raised his head and looked into the verdant trees that adorned the landscape and he saw a shadowy silhouette looking at him with red eyes.

"Is it you? Death have you finally come to relieve me of my burden I've been weary for so long." Katashi said bereft of energy as he slowly drug his feet along the path.

"You musn't think of me as Death, think of me as Salvation!" Came the tattered voice

Katashi looked up and slowly walked towards the silhouette and saw an haggard old man with a black robe that had the emblem of a fan on the back.

"You bear the mark of the Uchiha. What is your name old man?" Katashi asked with tired eyes

"My name is Madara." Answered the old man

"And what does the infamous Madara Uchiha want with someone like me I am of no value to you why do you call yourself my salvation?" Katashi asked

"Actually you don't know how useful you truly are to my cause!" Madara said through his rough and haggard voice

Katashi looked up and then turned and started to walk away, "What I need you can't give." And he walked away letting his arms hang in discouragement

"You honestly think I can't bring the others back?!" Madara said in a half-laugh

Katashi stood suddenly upright an turned around.

"Ah that is what you didn't expect to hear isn't it?" Madara said smiling

"What do you know about it?" Katashi asked slightly enraged

"You say everything with your body, you've lost something or someone very close to you. By the looks of it you've been roaming for hundreds of years!" Madara said

Katashi let his arms down, "I don't know for how long I've wandered but now Yomi has them and I can do nothing and neither can you! Old Man!" Katashi said emphatically

Madara laughed so hard that it made Katashi take a step back, "So the Demon King has your friends and you think I can do nothing to help!?"

"Tell me! Is there anything you can do!?" Katashi asked hopefully

Madara looked down and closed his eyes, "I most certainly can!" He said and looked up and his eyes had changed to a purple color with six rings surrounding the center.

"The Rinnegan!" Katashi said reaching out as if to touch the eyes, "Just as Sage Namikaze! The power to govern life and death! Please! You must bring them back!" Katashi pleaded

"I will but first there is a favor I need from you!" Madara smiled

"Anything! I'll do anything!" Katashi pleaded now on his knees and with tears in his eyes

"I am old and don't have enough chakra to summon back anyone from Yomi right now but I do know of how I can obtain such power, and I'll need your assistance! Do you know of the Gedo Mazo?"

"It is the empty vessel of the ten-tails body left on the moon from the Sage of Six-paths." Katashi answered

"Very good! I need that statue!" Madara said smiling sinisterly

"NEVER! That I must refuse should the ten-tails be brought back no one on earth would be safe again!" Katashi said balling his fists

"Then I guess Aiko and the other's will just have to rot for eternity!" Madara said with a shrug and turned and started to walk away

Katashi looked shocked, _how does he know about Aiko and the others?_, "… Wait!" Katashi yelled and Madara stopped

"If I do this you promise to bring them back!?" He asked seriously

"It will be the first thing I'll take care of." Madara said not turning

Katashi stood there for a moment, "Fine! It's not like it will do you any good anyways old man without the beast's original chakra there isn't any way on earth it could be revived."

"I know, believe me I know." Madara said and led Katashi to an underground cave with a high ceiling

Katashi went immediately to work writing on the ground in his own blood creating vast symbols and wording that spanned the length and breadth of the room and up the walls. Soon the room was ready.

"You will have to channel my power to the outer path of the Rinnegan which Sage Namikaze used to seal the demon into the moon! I'll provide the power but you must do the summoning!"

"I understand." Madara said and each of them took their positions.

The hand signs were numerous and confusing as Katashi needed to add some elemental hand signs in with the Shinobi hand signs and Madara had to focus everything on the outer path. The rocks began to levitate off the ground and the symbols started to glow brightly and started to move through the air.

The symbols formed a silhouette of a demonic form and the earth itself started to fill in the void at the center. As the hand signs picked up speed the glowing of the symbols became brighter and brighter until there was a blinding flash of light and everything went dark.

Madara lit some lamps and there in front of him was the demon body of the ten-tails.

"It's here! Finally it's here!" He said as he ran his old wrinkly hands across the base of the statue

"There old man now help me free my friends!" Katashi said panting

Madara continued to look at the statue ignoring Katashi completely

"OLD MAN!" Katashi yelled angrily

Madara didn't say anything for a little while but then he turned, "Very well." He said and a small white vinelike substance came from his back and attached itself to the statue

From the ground the head came up and started to writhe as though in pain the mouth opened and Katashi could see the demon Yomi writhing in pain with a projection of the rinnegan above his head. From the mouth burnt arms could be seen and from them Aiko's head appeared and he fell out from the mouth unconscious on the floor, next came Yagami who also fell unconscious to the ground and thirdly a demon came climbing out and landed on the ground unconscious as the mouth closed.

"CURSE YOU! CURSE THAT RINNEGAN!" Yomi yelled as the head disappeared below the earth

"Old man! What is the meaning of this!?" Katashi asked as he gestured to the demon

"That is the man once known as Ishida." Madara said

"No Ishida wasn't… he wasn't a… a demon!" Katashi said

"While in the netherworld he made a deal with Detashi and became like a tailed-beast, sealed within the demon in exchange for the ability to burn the souls of the four nations that had come into Yomi's realm." Madara said with a wicked smile

"You mean those burnt arms were…" Katashi said and lurched over and vomited

"Yes! They were your countrymen and theirs!" Madara said

"ISHIDA!" Katashi yelled and unleashed an elemental fury that brought up a mountain at that spot and sealed Ishida within. "He will never see daylight again!" Katashi said with hate

"Really was what he did any worse than what you did?" Madara laughed

Katashi yelled in anger and rushed forward to kill Madara with his katana but suddenly he found himself in the forest where he'd started and to his side Aiko and Yagami were unconscious on the ground.

"I thank you for your assistance Katashi now go before I send back your pitiful prize!" The voice of Madara echoed through the hills.

Katashi turned and lifted up his brothers and headed for the nearest village. It was a relatively new on led by someone name Hashiram Senju.

(End of Flashback)

"But our memories!" Aiko said from the side not looking up, "What about them?"

"I used an old war trick that implants false memories in the mind of those who it's used on. I made you believe that we all decided it was best for Ishida to be sealed in the demon, I convinced you all that our nations had just been assimilated by the Shinobi everything." Katashi said as the remaining tears hit the ground.

"Pathetic and to think you were a leader among these nations!" Kakashi said with disgust

"Aiko please forgive me! You have to believe me that I didn't know it would turn out like this!" Katashi said

Aiko just got up and walked away through the wind putting his hands in his pocket, "That's the problem,… I do believe you." He said and walked out of sight

Thanks for reading folks sorry that it took so long to get it out but work has me working 10- 10 and it takes me an hour to get ready and an hour to arrive at work so by the time I have time to sleep I don't want to do much else. Anyways so next time we'll get back to Naruto and the others. Thanks again Ultima S. Next, Broken Hearts Heal Hard!


	24. Chapter 24

After two hours the medical corps of the hidden leaf was at its limit. Having to keep two people alive for that long had taken its toll on everyone even the fifth Hokage was panting and finding it hard to stop her perspiration.

She was reminded of her little brother and Dan whom she'd lost due to serious internal injuries and she was certain that if there weren't so many top Ninja assisting her, the two would already be dead. Two hours came and went and Naruto and Hinata made no change whatsoever there was still a large amount of chakra needed to keep the two alive and frankly everyone was worn out.

"Lady Tsunade!" One of the assistants said breaking the silence, "It's been past two hours and they still haven't awoken it might be time to give up and let them die in peace."

Lady Tsunade rose to her feet and grabbed the assistant while still maintaining her chakra flow that was keeping Naruto alive, "How Dare You! After all that he's done for this village, how dare you even think for a moment that if there is any chance of saving them we should just give up! Naruto didn't give up even when the village itself was destroyed and it's only thanks to him that we're still alive! How Dare You! GET OUT!" She yelled and the frightened assistant ran for the door.

"You shouldn't be so angry it makes you look old!" Came a voice from behind her

Tsunade whipped around ready to crush whoever made the quip and to her surprise Naruto was pulling himself into the sitting position while rubbing his head.

"Naruto!" She said with a sigh and then let her fist fall flat on his head

"OOOOOWWWWIIIEEEEEE! Why'd you have to do that I just woke up! Why do you need to be so mean granny Tsunade!" Naruto said while holding his aching head as the medical corps just smiled wryly and let a drop of sweat fall from their back.

In the other room Hinata also awakened though with a lot of pain in her arm rather than her head. She stood up holding her arm with the assistance of Shizune who took her to a bed and sat her down. "Be careful Hinata a lot of things went on at once and we're not sure of everything just yet but Kakashi's getting information and hopefully we'll be able to tell you about that seal on your arm."

Hinata looked at her arm and there was a double spiral surrounded with a circle and strange marks that flowed down her arm that made it look like a river all the way to her wrist. There was a throbbing pain that came from the seal but it began to get more bearable.

It took a little while for everyone to gather up the energy to leave their positions in the surgery wards but eventually there was enough people to go out and tend to the normal agenda of the village. Naruto walked out of the one surgery room after a thorough inspection revealed that he'd made a complete recovery.

As he left the one room Hinata walked out of the other and their eyes met.

"Oh… hey.. Naruto." Hinata said and tried to smile, _does he remember what he said to me?_

(Flashback to where Naruto was stabbed with the Nine-tails claw)

"I protected you… not because of the village but… because you were important… to me!"

Hinata started to cry and she hugged Naruto as blood poured across her jacket.

(End of Flashback)

"Hey Hinata!" Naruto said looking at the ground a little

"Oh… I should… Be going home… father might start to get worried." Hinata said and turned around. She felt like she was going to faint from heartbreak.

She started to walk away, "Hinata Wait!" Naruto yelled and she stopped as her heart skipped a beat

He ran up to her, "Hinata… maybe if you want… I could walk you home."

Hinata's heart jumped inside her and her cheeks turned a neon red as she accepted his offer. Naruto and her started to walk and he slowly slipped his hand into hers and grasped tightly. It was the first time he'd held her hand since the war only this time it seemed softer as though he knew what it meant to her and she returned it by closing her fingers around his hand as they walked through the hospital halls.

They passed a room and Naruto looked inside to see a pink-haired individual lying exhausted over the body of her patient and he knew immediately that it was Sakura. He rushed in and Sakura awoke with the ruckus. She turned around and saw Hinata and Naruto standing awake and she got up happy to see them and then noticed that they were holding hands and just smiled.

Naruto released Hinata's hand and rushed over to see Sasuke. Sakura had done a good job of sealing up the wound but it was painfully obvious that Sasuke was without an arm and thus his journey as a Shinobi was finished.

"There must be something we can do!" Naruto said slamming his fist down on the table

"What do want Naruto!? A miracle?" Sakura said and started to cry, "I can't regrow an arm for him! And neither can you! There's nothing we can do for him!" Sakura said as her eyes closed hard trying to fight back the tears.

"Actually there might be something." Came a familiar voice

The group turned to see Kakashi standing there and Katashi close behind him but Katashi seemed to be a lot more depressed than Naruto remembered seeing him.

"It's nice to see you two awake and… congratulations to you Hinata!"

Hinata blushed, "But what do you…"

"I saw you two walking the halls. Perseverance always pays off in the end."

"Kakashi what do you mean there's something we can do?" Naruto said

"I just had a very enlightening talk with our two Alchemists here. With their help I think you and Hinata might just be able to get Sasuke up and going again." Kakashi said with a smile

"What do we need to do?" Naruto asked balling his fists ready for action

"First you need to find Aiko." Kakashi said

"Huh? What happened to Aiko?" Naruto asked standing up straight

"It's a long story and needless to say if you don't hurry Aiko might just vanish forever from our village, so time is of the essence."

Naruto and Hinata both nodded and left with Sakura

…

Aiko had wandered the streets all around the hidden leaf. He looked as parents played with their children and brother with brother. He watched the vendors buy and sell their goods as he walked. He recalled his own nation and wandering the streets. He remembered seeing faces clearly as though it had just been a day since they had all gone. All for the sake of a contest that he didn't even want to be a part of.

Tears poured freely down his face as he tried hard to keep them back. He and Katashi had been friends for a long time, ever since the combining of the nations in a peace treaty Katashi seemed to take a particular interest in Aiko. He remembered being taught about the mountains and the seas and how the wind affects them. Katashi taught him how to govern his nation outside of war with justice. He just couldn't accept that Katashi was the cause of his pain.

He sat on a bench under an unlit streetlamp with a convenience mart in the background and watched people go up and down and thought that this was how he would've liked to make the Wind had they had a chance to grow as the Land of Fire had.

The sun started to set and the streetlamp turned on in the waning twilight as fewer and fewer people crossed his path. Soon he was alone and the night air and the streetlamp seemed to mock his loneliness amplifying it and giving it a cruel form that caused him to start to cry again. Someone sat down next to him and he looked over to see Naruto.

"Somehow I knew you'd be here." Naruto said looking at the sky that was masked by the light of the lamp.

"With your chakra mode it couldn't have been difficult." Aiko said holding his knees

Naruto shook his head, "I didn't need that to find you." He said and Aiko looked at him, "I had Kakashi explain what he'd learned and I just knew I'd find you here."

"How did you know?" Aiko asked

"It's just this place. I used to be all alone too ya know. For the longest time no one not even Sasuke or Sakura would even acknowledge my existence and I was alone. Anytime when the loneliness truly got to me I would always find myself here watching the world and wishing I could be like some of those that I saw. I came here the night I found out that Master Jiraya had died and it seemed like everything reminded me of that special bond that we had. I was really sad at the time and I started to feel the weight of the loneliness take me again."

"What did you do?" Aiko asked looking forward

"Me? I couldn't do anything it was actually Iruka Sensei that helped me out. He helped me realize that I could always keep Jiraya in my heart and that there were others out there who knew me and loved me that I didn't have to be alone anymore with them in my heart. You may have lost a nation and friends and family but you still have us." Naruto said and smiled as Aiko looked hopefully at Naruto, "Katashi made a pretty bad mistake but that doesn't change the fact that he cares for you. From what he told me when he was wandering the world after Yomi took you and your brothers all he could think of was never seeing you again. I can't pretend to know what you're feeling exactly right now but I know that Katashi wants nothing more than your forgiveness and as for your nation, friends, family, comrads everyone that you loved in life are still there and still looking out for you in here." Naruto said pointing to his chest, "And now someone that I hold close to me needs our help. I can't do it without you Aiko so please come back with me."

Aiko let his tears dry up as he thought hard on Naruto's words and thought back to the time that he spent with Katashi. He thought of all the years that Katashi roamed the earth alone and realized that he'd caused a lot more pain to himself than even Aiko could have felt. Aiko turned to Naruto and nodded and they left for the hospital.

They arrived close to midnight and Katashi was standing there next to Kakashi as Aiko entered the room. Katashi looked at Aiko and let his eyes drop to the ground in sadness. Aiko looked at the ground and slowly walked up to Katashi. They stood there together not moving for a while and suddenly Aiko moved forward and grasped Katashi around the waist in an embrace. Katashi slowly smiled as tears fell from his face and he knelt down and gave Aiko a large hug in return.

"I'm so sorry Aiko!" Katashi said softly

"I know Katashi." Aiko said

"Naruto you will never cease to amaze me!" Kakashi quietly to himself and turning to Sasuke, "And now to rebuild an arm!"

Thanks everyone for reading it was a fun chapter to write and once again sorry to anyone who likes other pairings but Naru/Hina is my favorite so I guess it's either like it or write it, differently that is after all isn't that what Fanfiction is all about? Anyways I hope you all enjoy the reading and a special thanks to everyone that helped me attain 7000 + views in the last three months with my stories it means a lot to me. Ultima S. Next, Naruto's Yin-Yang Release Handbook!


	25. Chapter 25

"Naruto for this we're going to ask you to do the nearly impossible." Katashi said as everyone surrounded Sasuke

"I'll do it whatever it takes!" Naruto interjected

"Just listen Naruto." Kakashi said

"You and Hinata have the ability to control elemental energy now but it would normally take about sixty years to fully comprehend it enough to do this kind of technique and even longer for one to master the Yin and Yang release chakra. However we need to act quickly before his wound closes and we become unable to alter it so you will have to rely wholly on your instincts. Since you haven't yet awakened the rinnegan it will extremely difficult for you to control the yin and yang release of chakra to give the arm flesh and life but it's the only hope that Sasuke has of recovering."

"Just tell us what we need to do!" Naruto said as Kakashi just sighed and shook his head

"Naruto he's been telling you what to do!" Sakura yelled

"You just need to focus on what it would feel like to control the yin and yang chakra as well as releasing elemental energy at the same time. Aiko and I can control the flow and reform everything but you need to provide the fire and water energy as well as the yin and yang chakra we'll do the rest from there." Katashi explained

"How can I release something I've never even used before?" Naruto asked angrily

"Just use your instincts it's in your blood but we need to hurry so place your hand over the empty place and Naruto place both your hands." Aiko said and everyone placed their hands over a small clay arm that had been attached to Sasuke with chakra.

Naruto and Hinata searched deep within themselves having no idea what they were even looking for as Katashi and Aiko began to release a steady stream of elemental energy.

_I'm not even sure what this new energy feels like!_ Naruto thought to himself and then a look of sudden understanding came on his face, _that's it it'll feel like energy I've never used before!_

"Naruto!" Kurama thundered in his psyche, "I am aware of the yin and yang release from grampa Rikodu let me have control of your left arm and I can release it!"

"That's great Kurama!" Naruto said and suddenly his left arm lit up like his chakra mode but only his left arm.

Hinata had just found her pool of elemental energy and began to release it causing a strong light to emanate from the makeshift arm. Kurama began to make one handed hand-signs unlike that Naruto had ever seen and suddenly the glowing dimmed and an arm of flesh lay where once a clay arm did. Another set of strange hand signs and Katashi and Aiko pulled away from their elemental energy releases and Naruto and Hinata followed suit. Naruto's arm went down and touched Sasuke's arm lightly and color shot up through the arm and Sasuke bolted upright screaming in pain and holding his arm.

The pain was excruciating for a few moments then it died down and Sasuke looked at his arm in bewilderment.

"What happened? I thought I'd lost my arm in our fight with Kurama… Kurama! Naruto did you…?"

Naruto lifted up his shirt where the symbol of the Uzumaki seal was visible on his stomach.

"What's Hinata doing here?" Sasuke asked causing Hinata to shy away a little

"There's a lot to explain needless to say it would be best to sleep on it and I'll explain everything in the morning." Kakashi said

After a while everyone left and Naruto and Hinata with Katashi and Aiko walked out of the hospital and into the night. It was a full moon and the pale glow seemed to make the streets stand out in the night air. For some reason Naruto and Hinata didn't feel the least bit tired and the smell of the night enticed them.

"It's strange but even though so much has happened today I don't feel sleepy at all." Naruto said looking up to the sky.

Hinata agreed and they both walked along

"That's because of the immortality sphere. You can still sleep to help pass time if you're waiting for morning but you will never feel fatigued." Katashi said

"Never get tired now you're talkin'!" Naruto said excitedly, "Oh yeah and by the way what did you mean when you said that yin and yang release was in my blood?" Naruto asked

"I'm curious about that as well." Came Kakashi's voice behind them, "And while you're at it explain what you meant that he hadn't awoken the rinnegan 'yet'?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Aiko said confused, "Naruto has the rinnegan birthright and along with that is the ability to use Yin and Yang release chakra."

"Rinnegan birthright?" Naruto said confused

"Yeah I mean you are the direct descendant of the Sage of Six-Paths so it would only be natural that you would inherit his abilities." Katashi said

"DIRECT DESCENDANT!?" Naruto yelled

"Hey Keep it down people are trying to sleep!" Yelled an angry man from the nearest house

"Well yeah. You even look very similar! You mean you really didn't know?" Aiko asked

"Know we had no idea!" Kakashi stated with a look of shock

"The sage was a great man and you remind Aiko and me a lot about him. He gained the trust and admiration of everyone he met surmounting obstacles with great stamina and skill always relying on his friends and above all his sweetheart Matsuyo Uzumaki. She was a wildfire I think most of the Uzumaki clan inherited that spunk of hers." Katashi said

"I knew that your chakra felt familiar from the time I was sealed within you." Kurama stated, "I had felt the same kind of chakra many years ago with the Sage of Six-Paths strong and resilient."

"So wait your saying that I am a descendant of the Sage of Six-Paths from both my Father and Mother's side?" Naruto asked in disbelief

"Aye!" Katashi said

Naruto walked Hinata home and then went to his own house and closed the door. He sat on his bed deep in thought about the news he'd just received. Did his parent's know? Was that something that they'd hidden from him or just not had the ability to tell him? He lay down and decided that now was a time he would like to sleep till morning and his body let him fall into his slumber all the while thinking about what it meant to be the direct descendant of the Sage of Six Paths.

Thanks for reading folks. I understand that this might not wind up being the way that the author of the Naruto Manga will eventually reveal this but from my profiling of the storyline I do believe that it will be coming up at sometime in the storyline of Naruto that Naruto is related somehow to the Sage of Six-Paths. Anyways thanks to tyler36108 for Faving the story and to Butch x BC Lover for their generous review of my other story PPGZ the Story Continues. Ultima S. Next A Day Off!


	26. Chapter 26

"A day off!?" Naruto yelled slamming his hands down on Lady Tsunade's desk, "What's the meaning of this granny Tsunade? Yomi's out there and who knows what he's planning?"

"That's just it!" Tsunade answered angrily, "we don't know anything and so I have all of our top ninja talking with Aiko and Katashi trying to figure out a strategy."

"Is Shikaku and Shikamaru with them?" Sakura asked

"They both are there we need time to figure this out. I know your eager to get moving Naruto but we need to think about the benefit of the Leaf. If you attack you may be able to survive but look at what Yomi did to the other nations that were a lot larger than our village. We need to be sure that can't happen again!" Tsunade said through clasped fingers.

Naruto stared at her intently then nodded and leaned back, "But I just don't know what I'm going to do with a day off!"

Suddenly the door opened and Hinata walked in. She saw Naruto standing there and blushed as she walked up close to the side of him. "You wanted me Lady Tsunade?" she said timidly

"Hinata because you have been made a part of this by disobeying orders and leaving the barrier at the time of Kurama's attack…" Tsunade started

"Hey you're not holding on to that are you?! Without her I'd probably be dead now!" Naruto said excitedly

"Shut up and listen!" Sakura said through gritted teeth to the side

"Because you disobeyed orders… you are confined to the village for the day and will be mandated an escort to be sure that you don't leave the confines of the outer wall!" Tsunade said and for just a second her eyes turned to Sakura and back to Hinata, "I'm thinking Nej…"

"I'll do it!" Naruto chimed up

"But this is your day off you shouldn't be attending to prisoners of the village." Tsunade said looking at Sakura again for just a split second

"PLEASE! I'm sure it'll be better for the both of us!" Naruto pleaded

"Fine then Naruto you're mission is to ensure that Hinata Hyuga does not leave the village for any reason for the space of twenty-four hours!" Tsunade said putting her hands on the desk, "You are both dismissed!"

"Th… thank you Naruto!" Hinata said as they walked out and the door closed

"Thank you Lady Tsunade!" Sakura said as the door closed

"It was a good idea from the start they both needed a break and neither would accept to take one with Yomi out there. You and Sasuke should take the day to recuperate as well I heard that Sasuke's arm though healed is too painful right now for him to do much fighting." Tsunade said

"Thank you Lady Tsunade." Sakura said and walked out

_YES! A day with Sasuke all to myself thank heavens for Hinata! _Sakura said to herself and walked in the direction of the hospital.

"So Hinata what do you want to do?" Naruto asked

"Oh… I uh…" Hinata mumbled

Naruto suddenly tripped over a rock in the center of the road, "HEY! WHO PUT A ROCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD!? SOMEONE COULD GET HURT OR SOMETHING!" Naruto yelled angrily pointing at the rock. He kicked it to the side of the road where suddenly a puff of smoke came from the rock and as soon as it cleared a small boy with a long scarf was standing there with another young boy that had a drip coming from his nose and a young girl whose hair was put up in a "v" shape.

"KONAHAMARU!" Naruto yelled

Konahamaru got up rubbing his head, "You didn't need to kick us so hard Boss!" and his friends nodded in agreement.

"Well what was I supposed to think about a rock in the middle of the street that's not a smart place to be ya know!" Naruto said folding his arms

"Hah so you admit it our disguise was perfect this time!" Konahamaru and the others looked at him hopefully

"It was better than what it used to be with the square rocks and all but you got a ways to go with placement!" Naruto responded

"So what ya doin boss?" Konahamaru asked looking at Hinata, "Are you guys on a date or something?" he asked blankly

Hinata blushed and bit her knuckle while turning away and Naruto just ignored the question.

"What am I doing? What are you doing?" Naruto asked

"We're practicing our teamwork jutsu! Hey look at this boss!" Konahamaru said and started to build up a ball of swirling chakra in his hand

Moegi went forward and applied a small amount of chakra and with a hand sign said "Transform!" and the Rasengan transformed into a slowly rotating kunai which Udon took and picked out a small target and threw it at a street light a ways down the road and at the last moment he said, "NOW!" And the Moegi released her transformation technique and the rasengan struck the pole causing it's base to shatter and for it to fall over.

"That's amazing!" Naruto said looking on in disbelief, "I didn't ever think of transforming a Jutsu!"

"It's really hard and can only be done with someone else there to create the jutsu's cover and another person to throw it because the first two are busy focusing on their chakra!" Kohanamaru stated, "Udon being good at algebra can make the trajectory calculations and tell us the moment when we need to release the transformation so the jutsu can take its natural effect!"

"Hey! Who threw that!" came an angry shout from the crowd down the street and suddenly a rush of angry citizens were rushing towards Konahamaru and his friends.

"Sorry boss gotta go!" Konahamaru said and ran away with a crowd chasing after him and the others

"Wow it seems like everyone's getting stronger and stronger!" Naruto said as he and Hinata started walking again

Hinata nodded and they walked down the road. "I think… I uh.." Hinata started again

"Hey Hinata look! It's Ichi Raku's Ramen are you hungry?" Naruto said excitedly grabbing her by the hand and running to the shop. He sat down and quickly ordered two special bowls of Ramen and before Hinata could say anything there was a massive bowl of ramen placed in front of her with meat and crab cakes and broth almost to the rim.

Naruto was already finishing his first bowl before she could even look at hers. She looked at him and looked at the bowl.

"What's a matter not hungry Hinata?" Naruto asked with puffed cheeks she looked at him and smiled a little then looked at the bowl

"I promise it won't bite back!" The owner said and turned back to his soup on the burner

_I've never really eaten too much ramen before but I suppose if Naruto likes it…_ she said to herself and grabbed the chopsticks. She picked up a solitary noodle and looked at it before placing it in her mouth. She slurped it up as Naruto looked sidelong at her while finishing his noodles.

She made a face and closed her eyes which then opened wide and lit up brightly as she took a larger group of noodles and slurped them up as well. Soon her bowl was empty and she felt quite full not being used to having that much to eat.

"See what'd I tell ya Ichi Raku's is the best in the whole village!" Naruto smiled

"Thank you very much it was delicious!" Hinata bowed to the owner and his daughter and both left.

On the road they saw Sakura and Sasuke walking, Sasuke had his arm in a sling and Sakura had a hold of his other arm which oddly didn't make Naruto as jealous as it used to.

"HEY!" Naruto called out and Sasuke and Sakura turned and waved as Hinata and him approached

"What's going on you two?" Sakura asked with a smile

"Oh we just got something to eat over at Ichi Raku's!" Naruto said with a smile, "Where are you two going?"

"There was a new film put out by the same producer we helped in the Land of Snow and we were going to go watch it." Sakura said

"Hey that sounds great! Hinata what do you think? Would you like to see a movie!?" Naruto said

"Well I… uh… sure." She said finally and looked down a little as the group headed to the theater.

The movie theater was dark and cool a good escape from the heat of the day as they each found their way to their seats. They arrived just as the movie was starting and they sat down together. As the movie progressed Naruto saw Hinata just looking down not really watching the film.

"Hinata is everything alright?" He asked

"Huh!" She said looking up, "Oh… yes everything's fine!" She said forcing a small smile and then turned and looked at the ground again.

Naruto let his arm drop around her shoulder and she sat up and turned to look at him. He pretended to be intently watching the screen as she leaned back into his arm. It was warm and strong exactly what she'd always imagined whenever she thought of Naruto. She allowed her head to rest on his arm as the film went on.

They left the theater and parted ways with Sasuke and Sakura who went off to do something else. They themselves walked through the streets and looked through the shops as the day continued. Everything seemed more alive and interesting as they shared their world in a day with each other.

Eventually the day wore on and the golden beams of sunset bathed the streets in an amber glow as the streetlights started to light up and the night shops opened their doors.

"Ya know Hinata I just realized that we never did what you wanted to do earlier. So tell me what _did_ you want to do earlier?"

"Well actually I… I thought maybe… maybe we could go sit on the wall and look out over the village. It is beautiful in the spring and I go there on my days off to think. I… mean… if you want to… that is." Hinata said while blushing

"That sounds great!" Naruto said with a smile and they both went up to a small outcropping on the wall where the entire village could be seen bathing in the glow of the setting sun.

As the sun set the village started to send up fireworks for the carnival in town set up to accommodate the thousands of ninja refugees within Konoha's borders and for the success of re-sealing Kurama. The lights flickered on the wall and they could be seen perfectly by Hinata and Naruto as well as the village lights as darkness set in. It was the single best moment in Hinata's life at that moment as she rested her head on Naruto's shoulder and he put his arm around her waist as they sat and enjoyed the fireworks.

Later on that night Naruto and her returned to her home and climbed up on the roof. They laid back and looked at the stars and the moon and talked about the day. Hinata once again lay her head on Naruto's arm looking up at the stars and listening to Naruto talk. Slowly she closed her eyes and allowed her body to rest and soon she was asleep. Naruto heard her steady breaths and knew she was asleep. He picked her up and jumped in her window laying her on her bed and allowing her to sleep. He went out onto the porch area that surrounded the upper level and sat down on the railing that was there. He had never realized that being with Hinata could be so much… wonderful.

"I guess today wasn't such a bad day off after all!" He said quietly and jumped onto the roof to keep guard

Thanks to everyone for reading. I felt that before I continued on to the final segments of the story that I should set up a nice breather from many of the dark themes that pervade the story at any given time. So for that I decided to set up a nice romantic day for Naruto and Hinata. Sorry to everyone who expected a kiss but believe me by the end of the story you'll get something. Anyways thanks to SoraRiku34 (Kingdom hearts I assume?) for faving and following the story. Ultima S. Next, A Plan and A Failure!


	27. Chapter 27

"So that's the plan." Shikamaru said as the meeting ended

Everyone who was anyone in the village attended the briefing from Kakashi to Tenten and everyone left with a perfect understanding, everyone except Naruto that is.

"It is truly a brilliant plan. Leave it to Shikamaru to think up something like that!" Lee said as he walked out next to Tenten and Neji.

"Yeah sure!" Naruto said smiling and rubbing his neck, there was just one tiny thing I didn't understand."

"What was that?" Tenten asked

"Everything!" Naruto smiled

Everyone fell backwards and Sakura rose up shaking her fist at Naruto, "You idiot weren't you paying attention to anything Shikamaru was saying!"

"Here let me try to explain." Lee said pulling his finger to the side of his face and closing one eye, "It seems that Yomi is an earth demon and therefore bound to the earth making any attacks relying on sending him into the air will be rendered innafective." Lee started

"But if he can't be sent into the air then he can't ever have the earth not beneath his feet." Tenten continued

"Meaning that if we use attacks that sink the earth down underneath him he will be forced downward as well as well as any attacks that he would normally be able to dodge by going upwards he won't be able to escape." Neji said in addition

"And if that's the case we can literally burry him alive in whatever medium we chose whether it be water, earth or fire. Broad range attacks are also sure to hit because, once again he can't escape by jumping so he'd need to take the full brunt of the attack." Sasuke said

"So if we can bury him and then seal him in the burial medium it would be impossible for him to avoid." Gaara added

Naruto just nodded as though he understood everything then sighed, "Yeah I don't get it!"

Everyone fell backwards again.

"That's fine everyone, Naruto doesn't need to get it." Shikamaru said walking out with the Tsuchikage, "Naruto is going to be the heavy hitter in this endeavor. Thanks to the Brother's pact Seal Yomi won't be able to draw Kurama outside of Naruto but Naruto can use the full strength of Kurama." Shikamaru turned to Naruto, "All you need to do is attack and support attacking Shinobi leave the rest to us."

Naruto saluted, "You can count on me!" and then he ran to catch up with Sakura and Sasuke

"Oh… Naruto." Hinata ran out a little but then slowed down as Naruto disappeared around the corner

"What's going on Hinata?"

"Raauff!" came the voices of Kiba and Akamaru

"I don't think there's anything different going on that we didn't know before." Shino said leaving the room as well, "She's always had her eye on Naruto and if I'm not mistaken lately Naruto has opened up a little to Hinata. So it's natural that she would want to see him after so important a meeting."

"Huh? You mean Naruto's finally caught on to Hinata?" Kiba said as Hinata blushed

"Hinata!" Lady Tsunade said as the last one out of the room, "Remember you're part is also vital in this plan! Between you and the other Alchemists and Naruto we must take down Yomi for good!"

Hinata nodded looking at the ground and then walked away quietly.

"LADY HOKAGE!" Came a shout from behind her as a ninja ran quickly to catch up with the group

"What is it!?" Tsunade asked curtly

"Lady Hokage a messenger has just come from the neighboring Otakato Village requesting immediate assistance!" He responded

"We don't have time right now to help anyone we're under lockdown!" Tsunade said

"My lady they said the attacker called himself Yomi!"

A look of shock came upon Tsunade's face as she put her fingers to her lips and let out a whistle that could be heard across the Leaf. Immediately everyone who'd taken part in the meeting had appeared before her.

"Yomi is attacking the Otakato Village now's our chance to take him out once and for all. Everyone you know your duties and I expect them to be filled to the letter now Move OUT!" She said quickly and the small brigade left.

Nobody said a word as they leapt through the trees each one their eyes intently focused forward as Naruto, Aiko, Katashi and Hinata took the lead and leapt far in front of the others. At select intervals other ninja headed off in a few different directions until the only ones following the four were, Rock Lee, Guy Sensei, Tenten and the Tsuchikage.

"We'll have this over before the other's even catch up to us!" Naruto said with a smile as he jumped through the edge of the forest and looked on Otakato Village.

The only thing left of the village were burned houses and bodies as the four entered in. They looked around and Katashi saw something one of the charred bodies he walked over and lifted up a charred hand and looked at a ring on it intently.

"So the children have come out to play!" Came the sinister voice of Yomi who was suddenly standing in the middle of the courtyard in front of them.

"How could you do this! These people have done Nothing to you!" Naruto yelled out angrily

Yomi laughed, "Nothing! Their fate was sealed the moment that Obito used his cursed Rinnegan to revive those lost through the war."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked

"Don't you recognize this village?!" Yomi said while laughing

Naruto looked around and realized that the village itself was located in a small trench that seemed to incline at the tree line.

"This village… it was the one destroyed by the ten-tails long range attack." Hinata said

Yomi laughed again, "Exactly! Everyone in this village was destroyed in that blast and I had their souls as they awaited their sorting!" Yomi's face turned angry and he spit to the side, "Then Obito and that blasted Rinnegan revived them, taking their souls from me and allowing them to walk on the earth once more with no ties to death! And you…!" Yomi pointed menacingly at Naruto, "You are the one who convinced him to use it! He and Nagato both cost me souls!"

"Still they didn't deserve to die! And now you'll pay for killing them!" Naruto said and pulled a ball of energy into his palm running quickly towards Yomi.

He slammed the ball of energy where Yomi was causing a cloud of dust to kick up but when it cleared Yomi was standing just inches to the side.

_So Fast!_ Naruto said to himself

"Secret Elemental Technique," Katashi's voice came from behind, "Rising Plateau!"

Suddenly the ground started to shake and the bowl that the village sat in turned flat and then the whole area was lifted high into the air well beyond the canopy of trees.

"Please you're displays of power don't frighten me!" Yomi said smiling and he stretched out his hand and a line of golden thread caught Katashi around the hands and pulled them to the ground.

"Don't lose sight of me!" Naruto yelled from behind and Yomi turned to him in full Nine-tails mode building up the last bit of a tailed beast bomb and releasing it at Yomi.

Yomi gritted his teeth and released a line of thread that entrapped the beast bomb so that it couldn't move forward. Katashi was suddenly released from his bonds and pulled out his katana. In the meantime Aiko had finished his hand signs and put his hands out in front of himself, "Secret Technique, Vacuum Tunnel!" and a strong vortex started to surround Yomi.

The fires within the vortex were immediately extinguished as the oxygen was pulled out of the center. Yomi laughed again and disappeared from the center of the vortex. Everyone looked in each direction trying to find out where he went off to but he was gone.

"Nice try Aiko!" Came a Yomi's voice behind the boy Aiko quickly spun with his katana and struck Yomi square in the side.

Yomi disappeared again and where he stood a ball of gold thread appeared which wrapped itself around Aiko and pulled him tight to the ground. At the same time the tailed beast bomb that was being held with the golden thread was released and directed straight towards Aiko.

Aiko looked on in horror as the massive ball of chakra came hurdling towards him when he heard a shout, "Earth Baracade!" and suddenly columns of earth appeared right in front of him and Katashi stood there between him and the earthen wall. The blast crushed the wall of earth and Katashi branded his katana as the ball went straight for him.

Suddenly the world went into a flash of gold and black as Naruto's tailed beast form stood with its arms crossed in front of the blast. The ball hit and exploded with blinding might as the side of the plateau fell to the ground below. Naruto flew backwards back in his normal mode to the ground where Hinata caught him, he was unconscious.

Yomi started to approach Aiko who was still hopelessly entangled in the thread. Katashi branded his katana as Yomi approached. Yomi closed his hand into a fist and a golden sword formed from the base.

_That looks like… Sasuke's Chidori blade! _Hinata thought to herself putting her finger to the ground

Katashi stood there with his eyes fixed intently on Yomi as he walked slowly with a toothy grin towards the both of them, "When destroying a force, one must take out the generals first!" He said and braced himself to start running at Katashi but suddenly found that he couldn't move.

"What's going on!?" he said angrily looking around and noticing a black line originating from his feet that led back behind a house

"Shadow possession complete!" Shikamaru said walking out from behind the smoldering pillar

They faced off to each other and Yomi grinned, "You're more foolish than you look if you think such a pathetic Jutsu could stop me!"

"Oh it's not meant to stop you." Shikamaru said with a smile which caused Yomi to grit his teeth

"DYNAMIC ENTRY!" came the combined voices of Guy and Rock Lee as they came crashing down on Yomi from above.

Shikamaru released his Jutsu just as they made contact and sent Yomi hurtling backwards on his heels where Sakura jumped out, "Take this!" she yelled and slammed him with her might sending him flying off to the side on the side of his foot. Sasuke jumped up from the side of the plateau and put his hand up to his mouth, "Fireball Jutsu!" he yelled and a wide swath of a fire attack bathed to battle field in a glowing red light as Yomi flew right into the center.

They all stood smiling as the sound of laughter tore the happiness right out of the air. There was a smoking center to where Sasuke had thrown his Jutsu but from that center Yomi walked out unharmed.

"That's Impossible! There's not even a scratch on him!" Shikamaru said as he walked slowly towards Aiko and Katashi again.

"Oh no you don't!" Sasuke yelled and pulled out his chidori blade, _come on Naruto you need to wake up!_ He thought as his blade met with Yomi's and stalemated.

"Foolish boy! You know at one point you rivaled my demons but now you've grown soft!" Yomi smiled as a red hole appeared beside him and a charred hand reached for Sasuke's ankles but Sasuke jumped back and Yomi advanced as a few demons came from the ground to attack.

The demons were black and wore horrible masks with horns and fangs. It reminded Shikamaru of fighting Kakuzu, "This is bad!" He said as each of the Shinobi began to fight with a demon.

Hinata looked out onto the field and started to try and wake Naruto up, "Come on Naruto you need to get up!" And it was at that moment that she saw a small golden thread that had pierced his ankle.

(Flashback to the blast from the tailed beast bomb.)

Naruto quickly covered his face as did the nine-tails projection as the blast from the ball tore the rocks before him. Suddenly a hard pang of pain hit him in the ankle and he looked down to see one of Yomi's golden thread's pierce him. He suddenly felt dizzy and fainted releasing the Kyuubi form and falling to the ground.

(End of Flashback)

"Gentle fist!" She said and cut the string that disappeared as a small drop of blood came from the wound.

Yomi walked slowly and methodically building up Aiko's sense of forboding as he came, _why is he targeting me!?_ Aiko said to himself, _it's gonna throw off the entire plan if he doesn't go after Naruto!_

Suddenly from the side Naruto yelled out, "HEY UGLY!" Yomi stopped and turned, "What's the matter I was too much for you so you decided to try some sort of demon sleep juice!?"

"Nothing like that." Yomi smiled and shrugged, "I just felt that you needed a rest, who knew the gentle fist style could cut demonic thread!?"

"SHUT UP! If you want a fight… I'm it!" Naruto yelled and went into his chakra mode and created a rasenshuriken and chucked it at the other demons who had been pushed to the middle of the field by the others. They were ripped to shreds in the tortuous currents that pervaded the Jutsu as the sliced masks fell to the floor.

"It would seem that taking you out first might be a beneficial move after all." Yomi sighed and closed his fist creating his golden sword. He rushed towards Naruto who didn't move.

_Just a little more,_ Naruto said to himself

_Almost there!_ Shikamaru said

_Come on! Work! _Sakura said in her mind and suddenly the ground from beneath Yomi gave way and he tumbled beneath like a rock sinks in a pond and everyone could see the golden thread that issued from the bottom of his foot that pulled him down in.

Beneath the surface he rose to his feet and looked and saw Kiba standing there with Akamaru behind him.

"What the!? So they send a boy and a dog to fight me!?" Yomi said with disgust

"Don't flatter yourself we're not meant to fight you. You see while you were busy being kicked around up there Akamaru and I were busy building a complex system of tunnels that go throughout this man made plateau here with only a few outlets that lead to the outside. This allows us to focus our attacks on you while keeping the rest of us safe!" Kiba smiled

"You're a fool if you believe that a couple of tunnels is going to keep me!" Yomi said and punched a wall but to his surprise nothing happened, "What's going on here!? Why isn't it working!?" He screeched

"You ask a lot of questions ya know that!" Kiba said, "We knew that you'd be stronger than anyone we've faced so far so we prepared that's what's going on. These walls have millions of Shino's beetles which all have the same seal that was used to summon you but now are altered to keep you where you are!"

Yomi let loose a flurry of punches at the wall and suddenly his arms were entrapped in sand. He quickly pulled away and the walls went back to normal.

"Shino is very fond of his insects so Gaara's covered the walls with his sand making it almost impossible for anyone to reach them, however since Gaara can sense people through his sand we'll know exactly where you are at all times and you won't be able to avoid our attacks!"

"You were foolish for staying here boy!" Yomi said turning a hateful glare towards the two and attacking with his golden blade that sliced through the both of them like butter. There was a puff of smoke and the two disappeared completely

"It looks like you destroyed my clones (Not shadow clones but regular ones) don't worry you'll be able to get to us, if you find your way out that is!"

Yomi grunted and looked around, there were thousands of tunnels each leading in every direction he started to walk down one direction and felt a small pull on his leg as the tunnel around him exploded. From outside Kiba yelled into an opening in the plateau wall, "I forgot to mention the tunnels are rigged with traps thanks to Tenten so be careful which path you choose!" He smiled

Suddenly all of the other tunnel openings closed up and a red glow was seen down the path a little. Yomi braced himself as the searing heat of a fire jutsu engulfed him. As the jutsu ended the paths opened up again. Yomi ran down the path that the tunnels had closed up on believing it to lead to where the justu originated only to find that there were hundreds of more paths.

He walked down a central path when suddenly a blast of water carried him through a few different tunnel direction before slamming him into a wall. He whipped around and looked in every direction but the tunnels had all opened up again leaving him lost.

Meanwhile above ground Gaara stood next to Shikamaru with his hands outstretched to the ground, "Kiba did well there are millions of intersecting tunnels Yomi won't be able to make it out in one piece." Gaara said, "It was a good thing that Aiko was able to put out the fires before he was captured."

Shikamaru looked at Hinata and Naruto, "Yeah if we had to put them out we would have easily given away our positions to Yomi." He said "Hinata!" Shikamaru called out, "Good job!"

Naruto looked at Hinata, "What does he mean? Why is he congratulating you?" Naruto asked

"Well… you see…" Hinata started to say while pushing her two index fingers together, "When you were attacking Yomi Shikamaru knew your chakra attacks could shatter the plateau and destroy the tunnels underneath before Yomi even got to them."

Shino walked over, "So it was Hinata's duty to provide weak points in the ground where the mountain could break away without hurting the plan. You would know this if you had listened."

"Hey Bug-brain I listened I just didn't understand anything that's all!" Naruto yelled pointing at Shino who pretended to not listen.

Just then Gaara looked to the side, "There!" He said and Katashi walked over to where Gaara had intimated and pushed both hands on the ground. Beneath the surface Yomi was walking through another dead end tunnel when suddenly a pointed rock came crashing through the ceiling piercing his shoulder down through his leg as insects and sand closed around it.

Yomi started to pull and pull but found he couldn't release himself from the trap. Suddenly Neji appeared from one of the side tunnels, "This is as far as you go Yomi!" he said and turned to the wall. He pulled his open hands behind him and thrust one of them, palm first, forward shouting, "Air palm!" At the same time and causing the wall to burst open where Yomi could see an old man floating in mid air with a white circle between his palms that had a bright center.

Yomi tried harder to pull himself free but to no avail as the Tsuchikage yelled, "Particle style, Atomic dismantling Jutsu!" and the sphere pulled out into a point and connected directly with Yomi.

The mountainside exploded into thousands of small dust particles as larger rocks crumbled underneath.

"I can no longer feel his presence!" Gaara said and all of the sand and insects remaining issued forth from the crater on the side of the plateau.

Naruto watched as the mountainside all the way until the point where they were standing crumbled to dust, "Whoa! Hinata did you…?" He asked pointing at the rock

Hinata nodded

"That's amazing!" Naruto said and Hinata smiled

Everyone gathered on top of the plateau and started to laugh and talk about the battle. Katashi walked over to Aiko who was lying on the ground, "Aiko why don't you…!" Katashi saw why Aiko hadn't been able to get up as the golden thread was still holding him fast to the ground he quickly turned to the group when a laugh caused everyone to lose all color in their bodies.

Suddenly Yomi was standing behind the group and no-one dared move a muscle. He slowly walked around and bent over behind Sasuke's ear, "First you try and burn me but Hell burns far hotter than your pitiful flame!" Sasuke's eyes went small in fright but he still didn't move.

Then he rounded the group as the people could hear his calm measured footsteps as he next bent down near Tenten, "Then you tried to trap me, but I am master of traps and the workings of the shadows!" her eyes grew small in fright but again she didn't move

He rounded the corner to Hinata, "Then you tried to drown me, but I don't breath!" She lifted her head up in fright being unable to move.

Suddenly Shino's insects and Gaara's sand moved in and surrounded Yomi, "Sand burial!" Gaara yelled as the sand imploded but to his surprise the sand became scattered with a wave of Yomi's hand as well as Shino's beetles.

He walked slowly to Shino who had stopped moving, "Then you tried to seal me!" He said and leaned low and whispered into Shino's ear. Shino was so shocked at what he heard that every muscle in his body started shaking uncontrollably.

"And now to destroy the true threat to my power!" Yomi yelled and pulled out his golden sword and started towards Aiko.

Naruto jumped in the way in full chakra mode but Yomi just bashed him on the side of the face causing him to go flying into one direction landing hard on the ground, "NARUTO!" Hinata yelled and she and Sakura ran to his aid.

Yomi flung himself around Katashi and brought down his sword on top of Aiko. There was a loud "CLANG!" And Aiko found himself between Katashi's diamond Katana and Yomi's golden blade.

"Ka… Katashi!" Aiko said feeling some of the strings loosen

"I'll protect you Aiko, I swear even if I have to give my life, I swear I won't let you die!" Katashi said

"A noble sentiment coming from one who murdered his closest friend in the past just so he wouldn't die!" Yomi said smiling through the cross of the blades

"What do you know about that!?" Katashi said with a worried expression

"Please, Riku's wish was for you to never taste death who do you think inspired you to kill him!?" The demon said while smiling

"It was You!?" Katashi yelled donning a look of shock

Yomi chuckled, "Humans are so easy to manipulate! You were no different."

Katashi let out a shout and slammed his skull into Yomi's sending him flying backwards before he caught himself. Katashi jump slashed Yomi causing Yomi to release the golden sword which disappeared. Katashi then uppercutted Yomi who flew backwards and landed on the ground while everyone else stared in shock.

"Riku was my friend and ally and I let you talk me into killing him!?" Katashi yelled slamming Yomi in the stomach with his fist.

Suddenly Yomi was behind Katashi and a long golden blade was protruding from Katashi's stomach and Yomi bent down close to his ear, "And don't think I didn't enjoy every moment of it!"

Katashi landed on his knees as his katana fell to the side and Yomi withdrew the blade and turned towards Aiko. He walked slowly over and lifted his blade. Everyone gasped as blood splashed everywhere including over Aiko's face as Katashi stood there pierced through his crossed arms all the way through his chest.

"Katashi! KATASHI DON'T!" Aiko yelled but Katashi stood there glaring hatefully at Yomi

"Just die and let it be over with!" Yomi said angrily and sliced Katashi upwards across the chest causing him to fall on one knee and wince in pain.

"Katashi please!" Aiko yelled as tears poured down his blood spattered face

"Aiko." Katashi said with a small smile across his bearded face as blood poured freely from his front, "All my life I've been nothing but a failure to you and to everyone around me. My fear of death robbed me of my friends and my selfishness robbed me of my nation. Through it all you were the only one to stand by me as a friend, as an ally. At first I thought of only ways to use you to control other nations and elements but as I got to know you I realized that… that you were far greater than I."

Katashi stood again, "Katashi!" Aiko said in a near whisper.

"STAY DOWN!" Yomi yelled and sliced diagonally down across Katashi's chest

"Katashi please, no more!" Aiko yelled freeing one hand from his trap and pulling himself up on his elbow

"Aiko I've lived a life of regret… but now…" Katashi said standing again

Yomi stabbed Katashi straight through the heart, "DIE!"

"Now I can face death knowing that for once in my life… I could do right by you!" Katashi said and closed his eyes and fell over dead to the side.

"KATASHI NOOO!" Aiko yelled as tears poured down his face

Suddenly his elemental energy exploded and the golden threads that held him bound were shattered and he floated upwards on a draft of wind. The sky darkened and black-purple lightning rained down from the heavens striking Yomi hard and burning holes in parts of his body. The wind whipped through the area tearing the mountain to shreds.

"And that's my queue to leave!" Yomi said as the demonic head appeared from the ground and Yomi ran into it.

The lightning started to write something in the earth as the head disappeared into the ground but before it reached the demonic head the head was gone. Aiko fell to the earth and slowly gripped his way over to Katshi.

"Katashi…" He sobbed, "Now I have no one left! All of my brothers… gone!"

Naruto kneeled down next to him having awakened from the bash that Yomi had given him, "That's not true Aiko." Naruto said as Aiko sobbed over the corpse, "You gave Katashi everything he ever wanted in life, a friend. I'm sure that he will forever live in your heart helping to protect you from whatever could come your way. I learned it during the war, it is painful to lose a friend but the true pain comes if you forget about them, if you let them leave your heart that's when they are truly dead."

Naruto put his arm around Aiko who turned and cried openly into Naruto's chest. Naruto enclosed him in an embrace as the other Shinobi looked away, ashamed that they could do nothing against Yomi even with all their planning.

"It's okay Aiko, let out all that pain make room for Katashi to fill that hole in your heart!"

Suddenly a bright light came from Katashi and a green energy lifted up from him and took the shape of Katashi it swirled around in the air as everyone watched in amazement and struck Aiko. Aiko's arm lit up with the Wind Nation Seal and suddenly his left arm lit up with a bright light that died down and there stood the Earth Nation Seal. He felt a surge of energy and then he felt very tired and slowly closed his eyes.

Thanks for reading this exceptionally long chapter. I was thinking of shortening it up like I do with most of the other chapters but then I figured that I had kept everyone waiting for so long for a few chapters that this one would be my "Penitence" So to speak. It was incredibly fun to write and like I said I would write most of my chapters like this one but I want to make the story easy to read for people on tight time schedules etc. I certainly hope that everyone enjoyed it because I have about three more chapters before this story line is completed and I'll be working on a different fanfic and this one will be lost to the ages through hundreds of pages of other Naruto Fic's being created and updated by the second. Anyways Thanks for the support and a special thanks to PheonixMaster98 for their kind review. Ultima S Next, Goodbye Brother! The Start of the End!


	28. Chapter 28

Naruto picked up Aiko who appeared to just be sleeping soundly

"Naruto we should… probably get him to Lady Tsunade." Hinata said

"I don't think we need to worry. He's just been through a lot today but something tells me… He's gonna be just fine." Naruto responded

Meanwhile at the circle of the other Shinobi everyone was gathered around Shino who was still shaking.

"This is bad I've never seen Shino act like this!" Kiba said as Akamaru whimpered

"What's wrong Shino!? What did Yomi say to you?" Shikamaru asked

Shino just knelt there with his hands on his knees looking at the ground and sweating profusely.

"I think he's in a state of shock. We need to get him to a hospital and cool him down before we can expect anything from him." Sakura said

"Well whatever it is I hope it can shed some light on what Yomi is!" The Tsuchikage said closing his eyes as he hovered, "He took a direct hit from my Atomic Dismantling Jutsu and walked away without a scratch."

"Yes, and to scatter my sand as though he controlled it such power is not from this world!" Gaara said collectedly

"Hurry up and let's get back to the Leaf and make our report!" Sasuke said and walked to the edge of the ruined plateau.

Sasuke stopped and looked at a charred body that was in one of the smoldering houses. Something about it seemed strange and he walked over to it and looked. He saw a golden ring on it with a strange symbol and he took it off the hand. Suddenly the corpse jumped up and grabbed onto Sasuke's arm. He quickly drew out his chidori blade and cut the corpse to ribbons before jumping back and looking at the sliced body of the charred corpse.

"Was that… some sort of trap set by Yomi?" Naruto said still holding on to Aiko

"I am not sure but I believe it can't be a trap set by anyone!" Lee said closing his eyes and putting his hand to his chin

"What do you mean Lee?" Tenten asked

"Good job Lee! So you noticed it too!" Guy said moving up next to Lee, "Why would anyone set a trap with something that didn't have any value and could possibly go unnoticed?" Guy said mimicking Lee's pose.

"He wouldn't!" Neji said as his eyes grew piercing and venous, "Byakugan!" he looked across the scattered bodies and at the ring in Sasuke's hand and his mouth dropped open.

"It's full of energy!" He said finally, "All of them! All of the rings seem to be full of some sort of energy and they are on every single corpse! The only one that seems to be lacking is the one that Sasuke has in his hands."

"What does this mean?" Shikamaru said joining Lee and Guy in their pensive poses.

Sakura looked at the three, "WILL YOU THREE STOP FOOLING AROUND AND GET GOING!" she yelled as she picked up Katashi's body and they all jumped down from the plateau and through the trees.

"We should bring two bodies for study by the Anbu Black Ops, the one that Sasuke just defeated and one that still has the ring." Shikamaru said turning to Lee, "Either you or guy should carry the other just in case it wakes up during the trip back to the village."

"It is a splendid idea I shall be the one to carry him!" Lee said hoisting a corpse onto his shoulder and jumping down with the other two to join the caravan back to the village

When they reached the village Aiko was set up in a small hospital room with minor burns from the golden thread. Katashi was taken to the morgue and the two corpses were dropped off at the Anbu for investigation.

Shino was admitted to the shock ward and treated accordingly. While everyone waited Naruto and Shikamaru went to Lady Tsunade to file their report.

"So you're saying Yomi withstood the barrage of attacks without even a scratch?" Tsunade said resting her clasped hands on her upper lip.

"I've never seen anything like it. It was like he was only toying with us right from the beginning, playing a game!" Naruto said

"I agree with Naruto. He had ample opportunity to kill every single one of us but he went through the trouble of letting himself be captured and even then I think he could have gotten out if he truly wanted to." Shikamaru said

Tsunade hit the table hard, "What are we supposed to do against an enemy like that! Nothing even touches him!"

"Well I'm not sure but he must have some deeper plan. If he wanted to he could have easily killed us and even then why not just kill Naruto? Why go after Aiko? Yomi seems to make a big deal out of the Rinnegan being Naruto's fault but during the battle he only went after Aiko. It doesn't make any sense." Shikamaru said

Kiba and Akamaru appeared in the window, "Shino's awake!" He yelled

"Good we might finally get something useful!" Shikamaru said as the two jumped out the window and down to the hospital.

Shino was sitting up in his bed and looking at the sheets as the others walked in, "Hey Shino, what's up you looked like you'd seen a ghost when Yomi whispered in your ear!" Kiba said as Tenten nudged him in the stomach

"Shino we need to know what Yomi said to you about the seal!" Neji said

"It was his seal." Shino said quietly

"What!?"

"It was HIS seal!" Shino said louder and everyone donned a look of shock.

"That's not possible!" Kakashi said having joined the group just as the revelation was given, "According to Katashi it was something that sealed Yomi to his domain like a normal summoning Jutsu!"

"Yomi… is a master of deception." Came a voice behind the group and as they turned around they saw a young man with straight white hair, piercing white eyes, a white shirt and green pants that were cargo style.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked pushing through the group to the kid, he was about as tall as Naruto and seemed to be the same age.

"What do you mean? It's me… Aiko!" The kid responded

"That's impossible!" Neji shouted from the side, "Aiko appears alot younger than you are!"

"What do you mean?" Aiko said and turned to a mirror and saw himself and then looked at himself and at his hands, "How did I…?"

"You've got a couple of screws loose if you think we're gonna believe that you're Aiko!" Naruto said pointing an accusatory finger at the stranger

"Yeah, we don't take kindly to strangers causing trouble." Kiba said baring his claws

"Naruto, don't you remember you sat next to me and told me that when you felt alone you would go to that mart and you went there when Jiraya died!" Aiko said and Naruto stopped

"You might have been spying on them! I don't believe you for a moment!" Kiba said continuing

"Wait!" Naruto shouted and the crowd backed off a little.

Naruto walked up to Aiko and lifted his arm up to the side of Aiko's. To everyone's surprise both arms lit up with the Alchemical seals.

"It _is_ you! How'd you get so… big!" Naruto asked

"It's possible that the energy from the two Nations seals caused his body to grow to the age between the two!" Shikamaru said pensively

"It's possible," Kakashi chimed in, "After all Katashi did say the Life force was transferred into the new host, maybe this is what he meant."

"We'll have to worry about that later. Right now we need to know what you were going to say." Sasuke said from the side.

"I was saying that Yomi is the master of deception, he probably told Riku that the seal kept him bound so that Riku would keep the seal with him." Aiko said

"That would allow him to appear wherever and whenever he wanted!" Sasuke finished, "Riku was played for a fool!"

"Unfortunately so were we!" Shino said

"Huh!?" Naruto turned around

"Shino's beetles now have a version of the seal inscribed on their bodies, literally millions of access points for Yomi!" Shikamaru finished

"Could that have been Yomi's plan from the beginning?" Lee asked

"I don't know…" Shikamaru said just as an Anbu agent appeared in the doorway, "Shikamaru Nara, Naruto Uzumaki, Hinata Hyuuga and Aiko of the Wind you are being summoned to the examination room at the foundation.

The four left with the officer as the rest just stood there and watched. They arrived at the foundation headquarters and descended to its basement where all the highest secrecy experiments were performed. Naruto didn't like the feeling of being there as it reminded him of Yota and losing his friend.

They entered the examination room and to their surprise Orochimaru was there with Lady Tsunade.

"What's he doing here!?" Naruto yelled pointing wildly at Orochimaru

"Oh come now Naruto I thought we'd had an understanding, don't tell me it was all just an act." Orochimaru said

"Believe it or not Orochimaru is the only person I can think of who is qualified to find out what's going on with these bodies. Our scientists haven't found anything useful!" Tsunade said

"Hmph!" Naruto said folding his arms and turning to the side

They all walked up to the corpses and looked at them as they lay on the tables.

"Well first thing I can tell you is they aren't Shinobi, at least not very good ones." Orochimaru stated

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked

"Their Chakra networks aren't evolved adequately it seems as though these bodies relied on a separate source of energy." Orochimaru explained

"They're elementalists!" Aiko said and everyone turned to him

"What do you mean!?" Tsunade asked

"The rings on their hands were given only to elementalists born into the four nations. These ones were from the Fire judging by their rings." Aiko said

"But what were they doing at the Village and why did one attack Sasuke!?" Shikamaru asked

"The rings contain a small amount of the elementalists life force and were given as a trump card for the war. At first the rings were used to help identify people who were killed as they were forged by a special method that prevented them from ever being destroyed. Once they became like trophies to whomever killed someone they had a different purpose infused in them. Now whenever someone removes the ring from the dead elementalist's body the power in the ring allows them to come back about one-tenth as powerful but as a Zombie-like reincarnation who's only job is to kill the person holding the ring and putting it back on their finger. The rings became a defining item in the nations and everyone from baby to elder had an Identity ring on!" Aiko explained

"So how did they get to Otakato village,… and where are the villagers?" Shikamaru asked

"I don't know but I do know that we need to deal with Yomi before he defiles more of our dead!" Aiko said clenching his fists

"Well it seems like you didn't need me after all!" Orochimaru shrugged

"We need to find Yomi and defeat him!" Aiko said

"We just tried that and he made a fool out of all of us!" Shikamaru interjected

"I know but that's because you went at it as Shinobi. Yomi is a job for the Alchemists!"

Thanks for reading and once again sorry it took so long to post it I had a lot of work to do all day for the last few days and have been extremely tired. So I decided that it's important to connect with the readers for an Author to become popular so I am going to try to tell you something small about myself each time I finish a chapter. So for today I will say that I work in sales. That's it hopefully anyone in sales can relate to me a little better now. Ultima S. next, All for One and One for Aiko!


	29. Chapter 29

Naruto, Aiko and Hinata felt the rush of wind and listened to the sound of the trees as they passed quickly from branch to branch towards the distant land of wind.

Naruto looked to his two companions on his side and thought back to those that he was leaving at the Leaf.

(Flashback to half a day earlier in the Hokage's office)

"I can't let you three take on Yomi alone!" Tsunade thundered angrily

"But Lady Tsunade it's…" Hinata started

"I didn't say any of you could speak!" She continued and Hinata cowered behind a bent index finger, "He took down an Alchemist and played around with you like you were nothing but toys. Naruto even you in full Kyuubi mode were knocked unconscious how could you possibly even consider trying again?!"

"Well I…" Naruto started

"Be quiet! I'm not finished yet. Aiko you stood there and watched your only living brother perish under Yomi's strength and yet you still seem to have the desire to fight with him again?! Whatever, I have no control over what you do but as for Hinata and Naruto I…"

"Wait Lady Tsunade!" Sakura's voice chimed in

"What is it?" Tsunade asked ill-temperedly

"It's true that together Yomi managed to defeat us without even breaking a sweat, and it's possible that if we go against him again we might not ever come back!"

"Uh Sakura!? Try not helping us so much!" Naruto said nervously

"However, isn't that what a Shinobi is?"

Everyone stood in silence as the Lady Hokage donned a surprised look.

"Sure everyone's grown attached to everyone and it's hard to face the possibility of losing even one of our friends but if Yomi continues then there will be no one that survives. I hate to say it but Naruto and Hinata and Aiko are the only ones in the world that have any hope of ever subduing Yomi but if they should fail then they've followed in the footsteps of our greatest fallen comrads. They'll have died protecting the Hidden Leaf and guarding the Way of the Ninja." Sakura said soberly

"Sakura…" Naruto said quietly raising a hand towards her

"Hmm…" Tsunade said pensively closing her eyes, "Leave me and give me time to think!"

Everyone left the room and on the outside Aiko pulled Naruto and Hinata to the side, "Naruto, Hinata look what I have!" He said and pulled out a piece of paper with writing on it.

"Is that?!" Hinata said as her eyes grew smaller

"Yomi's summoning page." Aiko concluded, "We need to hurry or he could do to this village what he did to Otakato and we'd be helpless to stop him. This way at least we can decide the where and the when!"

"But what is the where and the when?" Naruto asked

"The when is now! We can't afford to waste time while the Hokage deliberates, every second Yomi becomes more and more powerful and soon there won't be anything we can do to stop him."

"But we can't leave the village without Tsunade's consent. After all… we are Leaf Shinobi." Hinata said quietly

"No!" Naruto said and the other two looked at him, "We're more than just Leaf Shinobi." He pulled up his sleeve where the symbol of the Fire Nation shone brightly on his arm, "We're Alchemists and the rightful leaders of our Nations and as the Alchemist of Fire I say we fight!"

Hinata hesitated for a moment and then quietly nodded.

That night the moon shone brightly and three shadows moved quickly and quietly across the grounds. Naruto and Hinata and Aiko all looked steadfastly to the gate of the Hidden Leaf village eventually landing in front of its arc.

"Are you ready?" Naruto asked turning to his companions and each one of them nodded

"Hey loser!" Came a voice from a nearby bush

Naruto whipped around to see Sasuke, Sakura, Rock Lee, Gaara and Lady Tsunade standing behind them.

"I don't know why I bother telling you anything Naruto you just do what you want anyways!" Tsunade said angrily

"Don't try and stop us!" Naruto said putting up his fists

"You are mistaken Naruto that is not the reason for us being here!" Lee said quickly

"Yeah we're here to see you off!" Sasuke said with a part of a smile

"See us off?!" Naruto said as he relaxed his pose

Sakura walked up to him and just a little past and looked at the archway that led out of the village, "You know this archway is one of the last standing pieces from the destruction of the leaf."

Naruto turned and looked at the red painted archway with the massive wooden doors that separated the Hidden Leaf from the surrounding forest.

"It's said that it was built by the first Hokage to help the first villagers go on their missions, they would see this gateway and leave and see this gateway when they returned, in a sense it was a symbol of hope and beginning for them. It's said that any oath taken on this archway will stand for as long as the arch itself." Sakura turned to Naruto, "So let's swear, swear by this very gateway that this isn't goodbye!"

Naruto looked at Sakura for a moment as he understood what making such a promise would mean, "… I… It's a promise!" He said with a thumbs up.

"Hinata look after Naruto, lately you've truly blossomed and become a force to be reckoned with." Tsunade said

"Tha… Thank you Lady Hokage!" Hinata bowed

"And Aiko!" Sasuke said turning to the now teenaged Aiko, "Should anything happen to them and you still come back alive… well let's just say you won't stay that way for long!"

Aiko smiled nervously as the three turned and jumped out onto the city wall.

"Naruto!" Gaara called out and Naruto turned, "Try to summon Yomi in the land of Wind, there is no other settlement other than the Sand Village and that was destroyed so you'll be able to face Yomi at full strength without risking collateral damage!"

"Thanks Gaara!" Naruto said and turned slightly, "You know Gaara, if I don't come back I just wanted to say… I've always hoped… that we could be Kage… together."

"Don't worry Naruto." Gaara said, "We will be!" and with that Naruto and the others jumped into the trees in the direction of the Land of Wind.

(End of Flashback)

It had been a while since the trees had disappeared and the three found themselves running through the heat of the open desert. There was nothing but sand for miles and every once and a while there was a small outcropping of rocks and dried trees. All of this disappeared in a blur as they hurried to the area where they would finally face off against Yomi.

As they neared the center of the desert the air turned suddenly cool and in front of them they could see a gathering of storm. As they approached they could see the remains of the old village and the crumbled mountain that once surrounded it. To the side there was a sight that caused the three to stop cold in their tracks.

To the side of the mountain where the hidden Sand once stood was a mountain of similar dimensions made entirely of glass.

"Gaara!" Naruto said in amazement

"All the time when he was fighting with Ishida, he was really building back up the mountain that he knew would be destroyed!" Aiko said in amazement as well, "Truly he would rival the Alchemists of old! His capacity of forethought and control of his element are something."

"Yeah, that's Gaara!" Naruto said as they entered the center of the glass arena. The ground was solid from when Katashi's mountain had turned to molten rock by Ishida and had covered the ground in entirety.

They walked to the center of the enclosure and Aiko let the page fall to the ground. He turned to his comrades as the storm overhead seemed to worsen and the winds whipped the inside of the mountain like a cyclone.

"Ready?" Aiko asked

Naruto and Hinata nodded

"Then it starts!" Aiko said and bit his finger allowing a small drop of blood to fall on the page.

Thanks for reading once again sorry it was so late coming but for the last three days I have barely had time to sleep let alone write. Anyways so today's tidbit on me personally is that I'm from a family of eight children all from the same parents. There you go now anyone who comes from a large family can know a little of where I'm coming from. Special thanks to Cryonite and Creative Writer 2000 for faving my stories, I wanna be the Best and The Death of Ash. Ultima S. Next, The Final Chapter, The Alchemist Awakens.

PS. Next chapter has the possibility of being one of my longest chapters to date so I'm sorry if people like the shorter ones but look on the bright side you can take it in strides.


	30. Chapter 30

The page issued a large amount of smoke and from within that cloud Naruto could make out the demonic head coming up from the ground and then descending back to the depths. When it all cleared there stood Yomi looking at the three with a sinister smile.

"I was wondering how long it would take." He said

"We're going to end this today one way or another!" Naruto yelled

"Oh I certainly agree." Yomi said, "I'll be able to take down the three biggest threats to me all in one shot!"

"What do you mean!?" Aiko asked determined

"First I'll take down the biggest threat, you!" Yomi said turning to Aiko and the three stepped back in shock

"How am I your biggest threat?!" Aiko asked

"Hopefully you'll never find out." Yomi said with a small shrug, "Then I'll take care of the blasted line of the Rinnegan." Yomi said spitefully looking at Naruto

"I haven't ever been able to use the Rinnegan!" Naruto said angrily

"Usually the Rinnegan awakens with a traumatic event or a particularly large event in one's life, few have ever been able to awaken this power but I sense that you have that potential." Yomi said and then turned to Hinata, "And finally I crush the Elemental Nations once and for All!"

"But why?" Hinata asked timidly

"Do you know why they're called Alchemists?" Yomi asked taking everyone by surprise, "An Alchemist is one who believes in the four basic elements of creation, Earth, Wind, Water and Fire. Alone each is powerful and capable of changing the Landscape with its power but together!... Together there is nothing that remains impossible, even… The destruction of the whole world!"

"I don't understand!" Aiko said looking intently in the purple eyes of the Demon

"The power of the elements when combined can destroy anything and if this world is destroyed than so am I. But as long as it remains then so must I. So you see you can't defeat me no matter how you try so you might as well surrender yourselves to death I promise you in the next world I'll have pity on your souls!"

"Not a chance!" Naruto said pointing angrily at Yomi, "I never give up! That's my Nindo my Ninja Way!"

"I thought it was you never go back on your word?." Yomi said confused

"Don't try and change the subject!" Naruto Yelled pointing at Yomi

"We'll stop you no matter what!" Hinata joined in

Suddenly Yomi was behind her walking slowly as he bent next to her ear, "My, the little mouse has learned to speak!"

Hinata froze with fright as a golden thread reached up from the ground to grab her arms. She quickly jumped to the side and used the gentle fist to keep the thread at bay but it seemed to be coming at her with a tenacity only rivaled by something that was actually alive.

"Well I'd love to stay and chat but my ride is calling me! So I'll just have to destroy you three later!" Yomi said walking towards the back of the crater the four were in.

"WAIT!" Aiko yelled as Yomi stopped and turned his head, "You're forgetting this!" Aiko held up a small paper with the inscription on it.

Suddenly Yomi was in front of Aiko and the paper flew into the air. Naruto quickly used his Kunai and stuck it to the wall. Aiko quickly rose into the air and purple lightning issued from the sky and burned symbols all around the paper.

"There!" Aiko said as the seal was finished, "The seal of permanence, for as long as this earth remains nothing can move that page now!"

"You fool!" Yomi said laughing, "You leave it high on the mountain! And you seal it there! You are not as bright as Katashi gives you credit for!"

"What!?" Naruto said in disbelief

"You think that I wouldn't be in contact with Katashi? I'm the Demon Lord of the Dead Katashi was with me as soon as he left this world!" Yomi said with a smile

"That's IT!" Naruto yelled going into full chakra mode and hitting where Yomi stood, "I'm tired of listening to you!"

From the ground a tall peak arose and Yomi hit right into it causing him to kneel in pain. Then a gust of wind came up and slammed him against the peak again and again. Yomi disappeared and reappeared behind Aiko and stabbed him through the stomach.

"Now come join your brothers!"

Aiko turned and smiled, "Just give them the message!" he said and suddenly disappeared in a puff of smoke and where he stood was a Rasenshuriken that went off.

Yomi was cut by the billions of cross currents that made up the jutsu and when it was over he stood on the ground panting as he looked at Naruto.

"You can thank Konohamaru for that one! We knew you'd go after Aiko like the last time so he's been hiding while I created a Rasenshuriken and Hinata disguised it!"

From behind the small peak Aiko walked out and used a few hand signs to create a vacuum barrier around Yomi.

"But the girl…!" Yomi said looking at the young woman who was fighting with the golden thread, she suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Yeah it took a little bit of practice but I was able to teach Hinata the Shadow Clone Jutsu after our previous battle." Naruto smiled

Hinata then stepped out from behind the mountainous peak and smiled at Naruto who nodded and they all looked at Yomi who looked pretty beat up at the moment. Suddenly Yomi started to laugh and the three took a step back.

"Hey What's so funny!" Naruto said slicing the air with a hand motion

"I am the Lord of souls you Moron! You really would think that I wouldn't notice a soulless shadow clone!?" Yomi laughed and rose to his feet and all of his wounds just vanished.

Aiko quickly glanced over at Hinata and donned a shocked look as he saw a few golden threads poking into her back at various points controlling her motion.

"You three are pathetic!" Yomi said from within the vacuum tube but suddenly his face grimaced and he fell to one knee panting heavily, "How…! What manner of treachery is this! I don't breathe!" Yomi yelled

"Maybe not air you don't." Aiko said smiling from the side, "But if there is one thing that I am sure of it is that you are alive and therefore your body must get some sort of benefit from its surroundings. For humans it's air but for you I don't know so I used this secret technique. It's a special move that can only be used when Earth and Air are used in perfect conjunction called Truspace! It removes everything from around you except the ground beneath your feet no air no particles whatsoever!"

Yomi ran to the side of the vortex and hit it hard with his fists but couldn't break the hold that he was under. Suddenly the golden thread that was poking through Hinata left her and darted through the barrier and wrapped itself around Yomi's waist. With a mighty tug the thread pulled Yomi through the vortex and out onto solid ground where Yomi took in a deep breath.

"That is an interesting weakness I didn't realize I had!" Yomi said grasping his neck, "Needless to say it won't work on me twice!"

"Who says it won't!" Naruto said and Yomi turned to see Naruto releasing a rasenshuriken right towards him.

Yomi quickly dodged but he saw Aiko quickly making more hand signs, "Why,… they do!"

From the ground large red openings appeared and hordes of black demons with painted masks issued forth. Immediately the three jumped back but there were openings appearing all around them and thousands of black demons were coming out of them by the second.

Naruto went into full Kyuubi mode and with a swipe of his hand took out troves of these demons but they continued to spew forth from the openings. Hinata was beset on all sides by the demons and they had surrounded her and stopped moving.

Hinata anxiously awaited their next move. Even to the byakugan these creatures were opaque having no chakra flow or character from which she could draw an inclination of their next move when suddenly they opened their mouths. On every side of Hinata the demons formed a black sphere of energy and had her completely surrounded by this oncoming attack.

Aiko was doing fairly well against the demons. With a wave of his hand he would cause a mountain to form piercing its way through a line of demons to the hole in which they had come out. He would then spin majestically and with his other hand create a blade of wind that would slice through a line of demons and allow him to block the whole with another formation of stone.

It was at this point that Aiko first noticed something wrong. One of the demons had gotten particularly close and Aiko sliced through him causing him to disappear and his mask to fall on the ground. He looked at the mask and realized, _I've killed this one before!_

Meanwhile, the circle of demons released their attack on Hinata. Hinata countered with the gentle fist's Rotation technique. The black sphere's floated like bubbles through the air and passed right through the Rotation barrier unhindered and headed straight for her. Suddenly the world was in a sea of gold as Naruto had jumped in front of her and surrounded her on all sides with his Kyuubi mode.

The attack exploded with a might that shattered one side of the glass mountain. Dirt and demon alike went in all directions. Naruto stood there with small cuts and bruises adorning his face and Hinata had just a few scrapes. The demons just kept coming and coming without relenting and Yomi stood there watching the fray.

"Naruto!" Kurama said from within

"What is it!" Naruto said as he fought with a few more demons

"You're wasting your energy! These demons are just a distraction!" Kurama stated

"Don't you think I know that!" Naruto said as he sliced through a horde of demons with his Rasenshuriken.

"No, You don't understand! They are regenerating!" Kurama said

Naruto looked down at the ground to see a pattern of masks strewn throughout the field, "You mean we've been fighting hordes of the same creatures!?"

Yomi laughed maniacally, "I control the realm of death! These portals are a direct passageway there!"

"Every time we kill one it appears in the realm of death and can come back in full force." Aiko explained

"Then what are we supposed to do!?" Naruto asked fighting off another horde of demons.

"Very simple!" Yomi said looking towards Naruto with his head inclined slightly to the ground, "You DIE!"

With that a whole new horde rushed through the holes and surrounded the three pushing them back and under them with the weight of thousands of black demons.

_Hinata._

_Yes Naruto._

_I think… it's time_

_Do you think… we'll see each other on the other side?_

_I certainly hope so_

The demons completely encircled the three and expanded into large corrosive black spheres that floated around Yomi. The masks moved freely around the spheres as though they were leaves in a whirlwind giving the overall effect an eerie feeling.

"Whoa now look who we have here!" Naruto heard a familiar voice from behind him

"PERVY SAGE!" Naruto said pointing with round eyes

"Ya know one day your gonna stop calling me that, when you find out what a terrific guy I truly am!" Jiraya said shaking his head

"Don't you mean truly were?" Naruto quipped

"Ah it's all in the details!" Jiraya said with a wave of his hand, "I would have thought it'd be at least a little bit longer before you'd actually come join me here."

"So you mean it's finally…" Naruto started to say looking at the ground

"Well I guess technically not yet but these spheres he's got you in will degrade your body to dust by days end and are completely impossible to get out of without the rinnegan." Jiraya said

"Rinnegan this and rinnegan that what's so important about that stupid rinnegan!? I was able to defeat Pain and Obito both who had the rinnegan so why does the rinnegan matter at all?" Naruto asked sitting down next to Jiraya

"Well to you it doesn't mean anything but to Yomi it does. The rinnegan's outer path controls life and death by surging life force through the King of Hell. This life force causes such extreme pain that he can't control the gateways that separate this world from the other and the souls that have died can escape. Of course the one's who'd died recently are closest to the gates and can easily escape but when Obito used it he left the gate open long enough for most anyone to get out. Wouldn't you be a little angry if someone used _you_ like that?" Jiraya said

"I guess so but still to kill so many people." Naruto said

"What do you mean?" Jiraya asked stunned

"Well he destroyed Otakato Village and then killed Katashi and…." Naruto started to explain

"Whoa hold on there Naruto. Yomi can't kill anyone." Jiraya said

"What do you mean?"

"Yomi is the King of Hell he can't bring someone to his kingdom himself it's part of his curse. The villagers from Otakato sought refuge in their surrounding villages and Katashi, well he was already dead to begin with."

"WHAT DO YA MEAN HE WAS ALREADY DEAD!?" Naruto shouted in disbelief

"Katashi died soon after his bout with Yomi in the Earth Nation's capital city, I believe that it was from a broken heart but hey that might be the romantic in me." Jiraya said

"Then who was that that we just spent all that time with?"

"It was a Katashi that was brought back to life by Madara Uchiha when he'd awakened the rinnegan. Madara 'altered' his memory so he'd be more willing to get the Geddo Mozu Statue from the moon."

"But what about the villagers?" Naruto asked pensively

"They were all of the burned corpses from the four nations that Yomi placed in the village to give the impression that he'd killed them all."

"But why would he do that? What's the point of it all?" Naruto asked

"Well even though Yomi himself can't kill he can cause you to fall on your own sword so to speak so you kill each other. He's a master of deception after all." Jiraya answered

"But then what about us being killed right now by the demons?" Naruto asked

"Oh you're not going to die from them they can only last a few more minutes in the real world and then they'll be locked out for the rest of the day."

"But you said I'd be joining you soon?!" Naruto said quizzically

"Well that's because his demons are bringing you even now into the upper atmosphere I assume that they are going to let you drop any second." Jiraya said looking around

"But then how did you get…here!" Naruto asked but suddenly the world came back into view and it was the whole world.

Naruto could see the rounded edge of the world as the sun shone brightly to his back. He felt a small downward motion at first but then it started to get faster and faster. Before he knew it things were starting to get a little hot. He looked around and could see Hinata and Aiko flying downwards just a few feet in front of him as his skin started to burn.

"What are we going to do!?" Naruto asked himself

"Naruto!" The nine-tails said from within, "I can protect us from the heat of the fall but the impact will destroy all of us!"

"Just do what you can for now I'll think of something!" Naruto said as the Kyuubi took full control and wrapped its golden body around the three protecting them from the heat of re-entry as they plummeted to earth.

Naruto thought back to all of his training and there was nothing that he could think of that could save them. He looked at Hinata and thought back to what he told her, "I protected you… not because of the village but… because you were important… to me!"

_I meant that Hinata and I'm not about to let you die here!_

Naruto dug deep within himself and searched the deepest caverns of his inner mind until finally he found what he was looking for.

Yomi watched as the golden ball entered the atmosphere and came hurtling down to the ground there was a huge blast of dust that shot up in the air and a push that caused Yomi to hurtle against the wall of the mountain as the earth itself shook on the sandy foundation. Yomi pulled himself from his mini-crater and looked up in shock at what he saw.

Naruto, Hinata and Aiko were all standing there unharmed and looking very angry.

"What!? But how did you…?!" And then Yomi saw it the six telltale rings in Naruto's eyes, "Impossible! You can't have awoken the Rinnegan so young!"

Naruto looked at him angrily, "Universal pull!" He said and Yomi flew right towards him getting his neck caught by Naruto's open hand.

"It's time for you to leave!" Naruto said as a surge of pain went through Yomi causing him to fall to the ground and cringe.

Naruto summoned up the demonic head from the ground and shoved Yomi in front of it. Yomi knelt there panting before looking up at his portals gaping maw. He slowly rose to his feet and limped towards the portal. He stopped just inches from stepping in.

"No" Yomi said and turned around

"I don't think you heard me!" Naruto said and put chakra into the outer path.

Yomi winced but nothing happened, "You see in this world the Rinnegan can only cause me discomfort. It'll take a lot more than that to get to me!" Yomi laughed

"Universal Push!" Naruto yelled as a crater formed in the ground around Yomi but he remained as though it was a gentle wind.

Suddenly Yomi was everywhere moving so fast the eye could just barely keep up. He'd deliver a flurry of blows to Aiko then Hinata then Naruto and disappear and attack them again. Naruto went to hit him in one direction but he was too fast and struck Naruto in three different directions before he even had time to recover.

"This guy's even faster than Obito!" Naruto said clutching his sides

"We need to stop his movements!" Aiko said as he received another pelting

"Naruto… use the rinnegan!" Hinata said as she fell to the ground

"I'm trying but he's just moving too fast I don't have time to build up my chakra!" Naruto yelled

"And I can't build up any elemental energy!" Aiko said

"That's because I don't want you to." Yomi said stopping before the three who were panting heavily with blood coming from several gashes in their skin, "I am far more powerful than the Sage of Six-Paths and I can travel instantly to anywhere I choose and if you see me somewhere in between, well that's because I wanted you to see me." He said and disappeared again

He appeared behind the now fainting Hinata and held out his golden sword, "And now to reveal a secret that I have held for thousands of years." He said and stabbed his sword through Hinata's heart, "I _can_ kill!"

Hinata gasped for a second and then all of her breathing stopped as did the bleeding.

Naruto reached out towards Hinata, "Hinata…" He got closer to her and touched his hand to her face, "Hinata!..." He said again as tears welled up in his eyes. He lifted up her limp body into his arms and saw that she was indeed dead, "HINATA!" He shouted to the sky.

"Your cries are pathetic!" Yomi said behind Naruto

Before Yomi could react Naruto had entered into full nine-tails mode and slammed Yomi into the far wall. Yomi stared at him with a grim smile.

"I'll destroy you!" Naruto yelled and attacked at the speed of light as Aiko stood in amazement at the speed of the attack.

Yomi was suddenly behind Naruto and Naruto flailed with punch after punch and chakra arms coming from all directions but Yomi just dodged every one instantly transporting from point to point.

Yomi pretend yawned, "Are we finished throwing our tantrum!?"

"Hinata never did anything to you!" Naruto yelled with another thousand punches all of which that missed

"Forgive me for thinking that coming to destroy me is not nothing." Yomi said as he dodged

"Hinata wouldn't have ever done that! She's the only one who has never let her feelings take over her judgment! She was simply going to help us seal you in the other world!" Naruto cried as his hands fell limp to his side.

"My, for Shinobi you sure do where your feelings on your sleeve don't you! She would've died sooner or later after all the inability to kill is a great weakness for a Shinobi!"

"The value of all life is a strength!" Naruto said dejectedly

Suddenly a bright light issued up from Hinata and whirled around in the air Aiko looked at it realizing it was the selection of the Water. It headed towards Naruto but Naruto held up his hand as it came and it stopped.

(Flashback to a few hours before the three left the Leaf Village)

"So Aiko according to Katashi the ten-tails was created in a similar way to Kurama and the other tailed-beasts." Naruto said as he put some ninja tools into his pouch

"Yeah."

"Well does that mean that there was another time when the four nations were united? In the same cause I mean?" Naruto asked

"Sort of." Aiko responded focusing on his elemental energies.

"What do you mean sort of?" Naruto asked slightly annoyed

Aiko sighed and turned to Naruto, "Back when the ten-tails was created there weren't four nations, there were four brothers. Their father was the Alchemist, he controlled all of the elements and even had the ability to control a limited amount of chakra. This, of course, was before true chakra control was mastered by the sage of six-paths. His sons each had taken to a certain element and soon one family thought they were better than the other and that is where the great divide in the nations began. Eventually when the Alchemist grew older he called his sons together and showed them the great beast he had created from using the elements in harmony. He called this 'the same power the Almighty used in the creation of all things'. He then sealed his will within the creature and passed on. Over the years the nations began to fight over their superiority which drove the beast insane and caused it to rampage. This, of course, caused even deeper strife to come up and soon each nation was against each nation. At least that's how the story of the start of the Great War went whether or not it's true…" Aiko shrugged his shoulders

"You mean one person had all that power?" Naruto said thinking on what he must've looked like

"Yup the true Alchemist and master of the four elements." The only way to do what he did is for the four nations to work in perfect harmony.

"Either that or… or have one person have all four elements." Hinata chimed in shyly

"That would be dangerous. I mean look at me I have just two and I grew to twice my previous age and I can feel the energy deep within me. I don't know if anyone could handle all four elements."

(End of Flashback)

"Demons ATTACK!" Yomi yelled, "Don't let them gain that power!" and from the ground hordes of demons poured up like an upside down waterfall

Naruto yelled, "To Aiko!" there was a burst of energy in the form of a shockwave that cleared the demons from before Naruto and Aiko. They stood there bathed in a bright light.

The elemental light came from Naruto's arm and swirled over head in a stunning display of red and blue. Yomi tried to get to them but the bright light stopped him cold so he couldn't move at all. The swirls came down and struck Aiko in the chest and on the back where formed the elemental seals.

The seals on Aiko's body glowed brightly and the Immortality spheres of the seals joined together and surrounded the topmost part of his body as a black line that encircled around his shoulders. The semi-spirals all combined creating a large central spiral right on Aiko's chest. Finally the four nations elemental part of the seal joined down his back creating an intricate design of lines and flows.

His body glowed brightly and when it died down there stood a full grown man with white hair and piercing white eyes. His head was adorned with a triangular hat and his clothes had turned into white robes with ornate accents going down the front and the edge of the sleeves.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't a full blown Alchemist! It has been a while since last I saw one of you!" Yomi smiled

Aiko didn't say anything, he just lifted his hands up and with a jerk there was a white shockwave that emitted itself from him that closed all of the red portals that were still issuing forth hordes of demons. Some of them even became trapped by the sudden closing and it cut them in half.

Aiko pointed his palms in two directions and two white spheres formed from the base. He released them and they flew straight into the demons. Naruto could see their form disintegrate in the blast of white light.

"It is true that you Alchemist's are powerful but…" Yomi said turning his head to Aiko, "I'm still more powerful!"

Aiko stood there and took a pelting from Yomi without moving a muscle. Yomi stopped and grimaced as he realized that his attacks had no effect whatsoever.

"Yomi you are pure destruction." Aiko said and his voice was strong and melodic giving a sense of wonder in his presence, "I am pure creation with the memory of all of the nations and knowledge of their power. In a battle we could naught but draw a tie lest one gain an advantage."

"And what advantage would that be?" Yomi said angrily

From high up on the crystal mountainside Naruto yelled down, "How about the inability to move!... Courtesy of Hinata!" Naruto placed the blood from Hinata that had poured on his hands and touched it to Yomi's summoning page!

Yomi appeared within the circle and found that he couldn't move as Naruto looked and saw the golden thread going down through the crystal mountainside.

He walked over to the thread and went into his chakra mode, "The seal of permanence was put there to stop you. Then we could've sealed you away but now I must avenge Hinata and you need to die." Naruto said leaning down next to the thread.

"Don't!" Yomi yelled but it was too late Naruto put all of his chakra to his finger tip and stabbed it through the mountainside cutting the golden thread

Yomi screeched in pain and to Naruto's surprise started to laugh.

"You've freed me! Now I can enter my true form in _this _world!" Yomi yelled and Naruto quickly jumped down next to Aiko

Yomi's skin bubbled and soon his neck grew out past the seal and his body grew larger and more grotesque, black wings came out from a grey midsection and Yomi turned into a Chimera of sorts having a toad's body, snakes tail a long neck and a large grotesque human face at the end of the neck.

"Finally I can truly destroy this world!" Yomi yelled

Aiko just looked down and smiled and Naruto let out a small "Hah". This caused the giant creature to turn it's garish head towards the two

"What's so funny!" Yomi asked

"We knew it'd come to this." Aiko said, "The true form of destruction and now finally we can seal you permanently within pure creation!"

Aiko built up a large sphere of bright white and he turned to Naruto who nodded and went into Chakra mode. His hands went in a flurry of seals and he shouted, "Yin-yang release Pure Creation!" and he touched the sphere Aiko released it towards the giant creature.

It skimmed along the ground and where it hovered small trees and flowers bloomed before it turned upwards and went straight towards Yomi's midsection. Yomi bent down his large neck and caught the sphere in his mouth and swallowed it whole. Naruto stepped back as nothing happened but Aiko just stood with his head facing the ground.

Suddenly a small sprout came from Yomi's ear, then a twig, then his midsection started to grow trees and his feet became implanted in the ground with roots that came from his toes. Soon there was a large tree and a small verdant pasture that surrounded it as Yomi screamed and the tree covered his face.

"It's over!" Aiko said walking towards the tree.

Suddenly the side of the tree burst open and the long neck with the grotesque head of Yomi exited the hole, "YOU'LL NEVER SEAL ME! I AM UNSTOPPABLE!" Yomi yelled and this time even Aiko stepped back.

Suddenly from Naruto's back a bright light emerged and from the ground a small red portal opened. A green light issued from the portal while red and blue lights issued from Naruto's spine and the Brother's pact seal. These lights floated around Aiko and took form before him was the form of Ishida, Katashi and Yagami.

"Brothers!?" Aiko said and began to cry

They were silent but they put their arms on Aiko and then turned to Yomi. The lights encircled Yomi and spun at incredible speed Suddenly Yomi was back in his original form and floating in the center of these spinning lights he struggled but couldn't do anything as he was pulled down into the earth through a portal on the ground. From there a stone formed with a glowing seal and the seals of Earth, Water, and Fire surrounding it.

"There's place for one more." Naruto said picking up Hinata's body

Aiko slowly walked over and pressed the seal of wind onto the tablet which then stopped glowing.

"What is it?" Naruto asked

"The Alchemical seal, it'll permanently seal anything but requires the life force of three sacrifices who's bond together forms the strength of the seal and not their life force like the Brother's Pact seal."

"Then I don't think that anything is ever going to break that seal again!" Naruto said with a smile and he looked down at Hinata with a tear.

"Naruto." Aiko said

"Yeah.." Naruto responded holding back his tears

"Thank you, thank you for everything. For being a true friend and ally to me as the Alchemist I will never forget you and I will always protect that which we together held dearly."

"What are you getting at?" Naruto asked

"Naruto as the Alchemist I need to set things right and for that you must needs forget the events that have transpired."

"Not you too! I don't want to forget!" Naruto yelled as tears streamed freely from his eyes.

"It is the only way to get Hinata back!" Aiko said

Naruto stopped and looked down at Hinata's calm face, "Will I ever remember?" He asked quietly

"Maybe someday but it will be a long time in the future."

"Will I remember… about Hinata and me?" Naruto asked

Aiko shook his head, "Nothing. But she will be alive and believe me you will find each other again."

"Thank you… Aiko." Naruto said and held Hinata close to himself as the world turned white

_I won't forget you!_ They said in unison

…

"C'mon Sasuke you haven't even been back a week and you still haven't challenged me I want to try out my new techniques!" Came the excitable voice of a blond haired individual with an orange traveling suit and a metallic headband with a symbol for the Shinobi Alliance.

"Why would I want to? You may have taken down Madara and the ten tails but you're still just a looser!" A man with raven hair and a black travelling cloak with a fan emblazoned on the back responded.

"Are you two back at it so soon. We just got team seven back together!" Came a pink haired young woman traveling behind the two as the blond haired young man looked at the raven haired boy with flames in his eyes.

Thanks for reading the final chapter Sorry that I was busy building up suspense for the week and hopefully the outcome is acceptable to you all. I still have the Epilogue and the Interview with the author to do but after that the story is finished and complete. Thanks to xSonicSilverLoverx and Meteorsky for faving and following my stories. Ultima S. Next Epilogue.


	31. Epilogue

This is a short chapter but before you read it I want you to look up Enya's "A Day Without Rain" and listen to it before reading the chapter and then put it one when it says in the chapter. This will give the maximum emotion for the chapter that I want to portray. Or you could just read the chapter but believe me if you take the extra time you won't be sorry. Ultima S.

A weathered and wizened old hand reached towards the glowing sunshine of the outside. An old man looked, or appeared to look, longingly outside as bandages that covered his eyes blocked the light.

"Tell me Hinata? How beautiful is it today?" The old man asked

To his side another weathered hand touched the old man's as an elderly woman looked out the window with piercing white eyes.

"It's beautiful Naruto the sun is out and I can see the grandchildren playing on the old swing." The old woman answered

"I wish I could see them one more time." The old man said

"Nurses please leave us." The woman asked

A group of nurses with the Shinobi alliance headband bowed and walked out. The old woman grabbed the hands of the old man and helped him up.

"What's going on? What are you doing?" The old man asked bewildered

"Oh come now Naruto can't we share one last dance?" The woman asked and reached for a phonograph and turned the needle onto the spinning vinyl.

(To really get the effect I'm trying to display listen to Enya's a day without Rain while reading this section)

They started to spin in an elderly shuffle but to them they were reliving their lives.

A twenty year old Naruto looked down on his beautiful bride with her raven hair and white eyes, she was beautiful. She wore her wedding dress so well it seemed that there would never be anyone quite so beautiful.

Hinata looked at her rounded belly as Naruto put his ear close to hear the softly beating heart of his new daughter-to-be and gave his wife a kiss.

The music took away their pains and their cares as the past came alive so vibrant that it seemed to be life itself as their majestic dance of the ages took them down their memories.

Naruto watched as his daughter took her first steps and Hinata, again pregnant smiled at his enthusiasm when he first heard the word, "Dada".

They both travelled to the academy days when their daughter and son would beg them to help them train and each with the desire to become hokage. It was truly the time to remember as Naruto and Hinata danced.

They danced to the day that Sakura and Sasuke finally became parents and their children, how they would love to come and stay. They saw the mouthed conversations late into the night as they felt the cool breeze surround them as they danced.

They danced through the sadness of age when Tsunade finally went the way of the earth followed by Kakashi and the other Jonin of their youth but the dance took them through it all. They again felt the touch of life when they became grandparents and the sound of little feet again blessed their lives.

Their life was full and peaceful and Naruto and Hinata spent most of it together as the dance took them to setting suns and open roads hand in hand going through their dance of life. Finally the dance took them to the day Naruto named his grandson Hokage and Aiko helped to seal the nine-tails into his great grandson to carry his legacy forward.

Naruto had danced his way to when he gave his eyes to Aiko as the Rinnegan was a precious gift to be protected and finally they danced their way to staring through a window out on a sunny day.

The music played on as their bodies slowly gave in to the ravages of time the shared one last embrace as they both fell to the floor and passed on.

The funeral had many faces familiar to them as Konohamaru and Moegi, now the Elders of the Village, gave a stirring eulogy as they were lowered into the ground at the base of the great stone faces. One by one with tear filled eye white flowers were placed on the site until the base of the mountain was full of beautiful flowers.

A young man with white robes and a triangular cap stepped in front of the procession and let a small white orb fly to the ground where a large tree arose and the flowers that were placed there took root and blossomed fully. It was the most beautiful grave marker in the world.

"Well look who's finally come to join us! As I said before Naruto a good master will naturally beget good disciples that goes without saying!"

"Don't worry you two here I don't need my youthful jutsu and you won't need a cane any longer!"

"You've come a long way from when you first tried to get those bells from me Naruto. Hinata thank you for looking after him for this long."

"What do you think Hinata?" Naruto asked looking at his beautiful bride, "Want to start again?"

"Whatever you do… I'll follow you Naruto!"

Fin

Well thanks for reading folks that is the epilogue and the last chapter of the book, stay tuned for the interview with the author and should anyone think of any questions they want answered just pm me and I'll add them to the interview. Ultima S.


	32. Interview with the Author

(Slight content update near the bottom)

Naruto: You know I've always wanted to be owned by a third party!

Aiko: What do you mean?

Naruto: Well I just think it's great that Ultima S. owns us what do you think?

Aiko: But Ultima S. doesn't own us!

Naruto: What!?

Aiko: Nope Naruto and all affiliated characters are the property of their respective owners. The only thing that Ultima S. owns is his original Characters and story line!

Naruto: Such a buzzkill.

…..

The stage is set with bright lights shining all around as the spotlights turn to a small set with four chairs in one sits the suave and handsome Ultima S. while the others house Sakura, Naruto and Aiko.

Naruto: Alright I'm glad that's over!

Ultima S. (In a smarmy british accent): What's the matter you didn't like the story?

Naruto: No nothing like that! I just got a little too much of a work out that's all!

Ultima S.: Indeed you did I was trying to keep up with the brilliance of the original writer as well as get my foot in the door as to what was going to be revealed, or at least what I believe would be revealed, later on in the series.

Sakura: And tell us what were those revelations?

Ultima S.: Well I believe that eventually it will be revealed that Naruto is somehow related to the sage of Six-Paths. As well I believe he will gain access to the Rinnegan. I also didn't get a chance to include this in my story but I think, somehow all of the tailed beasts will be rejoined within Naruto. I don't know how or when but I think that will be part of one of the future story lines.

Aiko: And what makes you think that?

Ultima S.: Well since I was young I got into the habit of story profiling, or finding the main events of a story line before they happen. Eventually I became so adept that I could watch a whole movie without words and not miss a single point of the plot. I could literally tell who the murderer was upon first introductions, a feat that proved highly annoying for my brothers who would tell me to stop as they believed that I'd seen the episodes before.

Sakura: That's quite a talent but doesn't that make watching movies a little boring?

Ultima S.: Not really. I enjoy the story line for the most part so whether I know it or not doesn't matter to me. Besides every once and a while I get duped and at that point the movie takes on a whole new spin

Naruto: Alright, alright we don't care too much about your tv watching skills we care very much about the story itself. What made you think of the story line.

Ultima S.: Well I didn't really think of it I just wrote and the story line just came out.

Sakura: You say that for all of your stories so far but there are times in which you allude to something that will happen in the future. Don't you need to plan ahead for that?

Ultima S.: Surprisingly no actually. I usually have an idea of what I want to add in the future but rarely does it ever come out like that. I just write and write and write and sometimes it even surprises me about how I got something to tie together so well.

Aiko: So what do you think of your stories?

Ultima S.: To be honest as I write I personally believe that most of my chapters come out horrible but up till now (Four stories in) I haven't received a single bad review. And to be honest I just recently went back through my other stories I've written and I was amazed at how well they turned out I mean there were some forced conversations where I had to take some of the characters out of character but for the most part I feel as though they were right on and it came out much better than I imagined.

Naruto: So you've started to tell us a little about you personally in your connotations at the bottom of each chapter. Why?

Ultima S.: Well Naruto I think I explained it rather well. I believe that people will enjoy a story more if they can relate to the author. If the author becomes like a close friend with those that read his work they will draw more from the story and be more likely to read his other works.

Sakura: Is there anything that you didn't get to add on a personal note to the connotations?

Ultima S.: Well there's a lot about me to know I've already said I work in sales and I come from a large family. I could also say that I was hired part time but get full time hours and am currently in the consideration stages of becoming a manager where I work. I get along with most anyone as I figure that my ideas and desires are just as important to me as someone else's is to them so I don't need to fight about something that won't make a difference to either of us. Don't get me wrong I do hold strong to my values but I try hard not to fight about them. I am also bilingual and can speak fluent French in fact if you look you can see some French appearances in my work.

Naruto: You said that you were religious. What religion are you?

Ultima S.: That would be an example of a question that is too personal to put on this site. Just know that I go to church every Sunday and hold an office in my church.

Naruto: So tell me Ultima S. my dream is to become Hokage, so what is your dream?

Ultima S.: Well I guess that my ultimate dream is to help in the creation of entertainment for the world I would like to produce a movie or television series or write a book. Something just to help people get away from this humdrum existence and help them to enjoy life even if for just a little while.

Aiko: So before we end this interview I heard that an interesting thing happened to you while working. Care to elaborate?

Ultima S.: I suppose… Well there is one worker where I work who doesn't get along with anyone as he's very violent with his words and very forward with his opinions. I of course don't get into any particular dispute with him just because it isn't in my nature. Well evidently he likes that and invited me to hang out with him at this year's comic con. I of course don't make enough in my job right now to even consider going but it was interesting. Remember people if you treat someone with respect no matter how badly they rub you the wrong way in the end they will come around to seeing you as a friend and mostly leave you be.

Sakura: Excellent advice! So tell us what is your next project?

Ultima S.: Well I am writing an original story for novel joy titled Running from the Boogyman and I suppose I'll work on that for a little while and then I need to decide if I should write a fanfiction for Treasure Planet or if I should do my Legend of Zelda/Naruto crossover. I am, once again, open to suggestions for any good clean Fanfiction that they would like to read. I won't ever write an indecent fanfic so don't even ask and I do not ever write curse words so forget it.

Aiko: Well it looks like that's all the time we have but before we go do you have any last thing to say to the audience?

Ultima S.: Oh yeah! Thank you very much for helping me burst my previous record and have several days with over three hundred views and ending the month at over 3000 views for my story from over 50 countries. Hopefully people will still be able to find it within the hundreds of thousands of other Naruto Stories that are in the site.

All: Thank you all and have a great one!

Alright folks that's all I got for you in this story line hopefully you've enjoyed it all the way through and hopefully you'll enjoy my other stories that I've written. Keep up the fandom everyone likes to feel appreciated. Ultima S.


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